Barley is a versatile cereal grain that has been used from ancient time for human consumption. It adds rich nutlike flavor to dishes so it is widely used in preparation of soups and stews. Barley has the same appearance like wheat berries but its color is slightly lighter than wheat berries. Hordeum vulgare is the Latin name of the barley. It is a very nutritious food and an excellent choice to prepare breakfast fare, main courses, side dishes, and more. Barley grains are rich in fiber and low in fat. In the market, barley can be available in various different forms like hulled barley, pot/scotch barley, pearl barley, barley grits and barley flakes. Due to its rich fiber content, barley is very popular food in health conscious people.

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As barley nutrition is available in all forms, it is very easy to take the benefit of it. Food sources which are used include the leaves, grain and the barley extract. Barley juice is a very good health drink as it provides essential nutrients required by the body. In the sprouted form, barley contains high amount of maltose (a basic sugar for malt syrup sweetener). It is also used as an ingredient in alcoholic beverages after the fermentation process. In addition to the providing delightful flavor to the soup or stew whatever you’re cooking, whole grain barley will also improve the health of person. Read the rest of this entry »

Nutmeg is the dried seed of the nutmeg tree fruit which belongs to the genus Myristica. It is a tiny package with various big benefits. It is used for medicinal purpose and also for culinary purpose. Nutmeg is also recognized as jaiphal, myristica, muscdier, myristica fragrans, mace, noz moscada, magic, muskatbaum, nuez moscada and nux moschata. Nutmeg tree grows in Malaysia, Indonesia, West Indies and SriLanka as well as produce both nutmeg and mace. Mace is the lacy reddish membrane of the seed which is also used as the spice.

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Nutmeg has strong fragrance along with sweet, savory and nutty taste like cinnamon. It is generally used in powdered form. Saponin and essential oil for example fixed oil & volatile oil are contained by nutmeg. Myristicin is also contained by nutmeg. Myristicin is a strong narcotic compound which can lead to hallucinations if taken in large quantity. The oil extracted from the herb is utilized in hair lotions, ointment, perfumery, and as an antispasmodic carminative. Read the rest of this entry »

Elevated cholesterol level in the body may cause many heart problems. For long life and healthy living, it is necessary to maintain healthy cholesterol level. Cholesterol is a fatty substance (lipid) required by the human body to maintain all the vital functions and is produced in the liver. Cholesterol surrounds every single cell of body and protects nerves, produces certain hormones and produces some new cells. Cholesterol plays a significant role in a heart health of an individual. Arteries can be blocked when cholesterol levels are high and cause heart disease. By reducing and maintaining cholesterol level, you can significantly reduce the risk of heart problems.

Cholesterol:

Cholesterol is a kind of lipid substance which is carried throughout the body by the lipoprotein molecules. There are two types of cholesterol in the body: HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). It is necessary to maintain proper balance between these two cholesterols to avoid some complications of heart for example heart disease, stroke and clogged arteries. For performing essential functions of the body, both HDL and LDL cholesterol are necessary. However, too much LDL cholesterol is bad for health. Read the rest of this entry »

The juice of aronia berry is very healthy as it is high in vitamin C and contains antioxidants. It is used for therapeutic purpose and contains all the health benefits of aronia berry. It is dark purple in color and has very tart taste. The juice of aronia berry is sweetened to make tastier but unsweetened juice is “a valuable adjunct” to treat diabetes. The taste of sweetened juice of aronia is similar to black berry or blue berry juice.

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The aronia berry is the name for a very dark berry which has very high levels of antioxidants. It is a close cousin of the blueberry and has different names such as chokeberries, or aronia melanocarpa. The term “chokeberry” derives from the astringency of the fruits which are not suitable for eating when uncooked. Wine, jam, syrup, juice, soft spreads, tea and tinctures are prepared from berries. Read the rest of this entry »

Turkey meat is included on many occasions including Thanksgiving and Christmas that makes you Sleepy because it contains tryptophan constituent. Tryptophan is a crucial Amino Acid and generally can be found in animal proteins and many plants.

Tryptophan is the component that body can not generate itself; it must be taken from the diet. It manufactures nervous system messengers particularly those associated with restfulness, sleep, and relaxation. Tryptophan also contributes in the production of niacin (B vitamins). Amino acid found in the Turkey meat is known as L-tryptophan. Amino acids are considered as “building blocks” for the proteins therefore it helps to structure muscles and other parts of the body. Read the rest of this entry »

A new invention in health food area, Goji Berry is growing in demand due to its proven health benefits like longevity in the consumer and strengthening of the immune system. Goji berries have superfood properties which were first found in Chinese medicine. It is a sweet-tasting, dark-red colored fruit having look like shriveled up mini RED raisins. They are one of the highest antioxidant berries which have extraordinary healing properties. They are also called as Chinese Wolfberry, Lycium Fruit, and Tibetan Goji Berry.

Goji Berry comes from a shrub that is indigenous to China and it also comes from other places like Mongolia and the Himalayas. Goji berries belong to the nightshade (Solonaceae) family and grow in temperate and subtropical regions of Tibet. As an important part of Tibetan medicine, they are used for about two thousand years to treat kidney and liver problems. Read the rest of this entry »

Throughout history Apple Cider Vinegar has been used for many health benefits. Bragg’s apple cider vinegar is made from organically grown apples. Bragg’s apple cider vinegar is unfiltered, unpasteurized, kosher-certified and contains the ‘mother’ of vinegar. To know how to use Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss and benefits of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, read the following article.

Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar is certified in accordance with USDA organic standards. About 100 years ago, Paul C. Bragg founded the Bragg Company. He trained gold medal Olympians like Murray Rose and Betty Cuthbert of Australia as well as he claimed to have taught many of the world’s health experts about organic food. “You are what you eat, drink, breathe, think, say and do” is the slogan of Bragg Company. According to Bragg, Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar is made from organically grown apples that are unpasteurized and unheated; it still retains all the nutritional benefits of the apples. Read the rest of this entry »

For a number of diseases and conditions, many civilizations and cultures through history used Cayenne Pepper as a medical treatment. Cayenne Pepper has many benefits. To know the benefits in metabolism and weight loss, refer the following article.

For more than 7,000 years, cayenne pepper has been used in the Central and South American region. Instead of a food enhancer it was first used as decorative items. Cayenne pepper is also recognized as the Guinea spice, Cow Horn Pepper, Aleva or Bird Pepper. It is called “cayenne” because of the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. Now it grows in India, East Africa, Mexico and the United States, in fact most tropical and sub-tropical regions. Cayenne peppers are the vegetable of the nightshade family, which also comprises white potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. Cayenne peppers are an excellent organic source of Vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium and manganese. Cayenne is made from the ripened fruit, varying from red to yellow. Cayenne is used in cooking spicy dishes, as a powder or in its whole form.

Dried peppers are crushed into powder and it is accessible year-round to give your taste buds a jolt. The color of cayenne powder is red or red-brown .The ground seeds are included in some cayenne and this is hotter than those which exclude them. It is also a key ingredient in a variety of hot sauces, particularly those employing vinegar as a preservative. It has been found to treat fever, cold, diarrhea, constipation, headache, and sinus congestion. It acts as a pain reliever through a little known numbing effect when applied externally to tired feet, sore muscles, strains and sprains. For cayenne heat and its medicinal function the active ingredient, capsaicin is responsible. The flavor of cayenne pepper is hot, pungent and biting, although not as powerful as the hotter chilies. Read the rest of this entry »

Asafoetida Powder has been recognized for its medicinal value and used in number of herbal remedies for various diseases. Asafoetida is the native of Iran and part of the Ferula species of plants. It is used in many Indian dishes as it is a source of pungent flavor. It has many benefits and uses, to know them refer the following article.

Asafoetida word comes from the Persian word “asa” and the Latin,” foetida” which roughly translates to Fetid smelling resin. Its different names are devil’s dung, stinking gum, asant, food of the gods and many other names in different languages. It has a pungent and unpleasant smell, in the raw form but when cooked, it enhances the taste and flavor of the recipe. A pinch of asafoetida is added to food preparations consisting of potatoes, lentils, peas, etc. It may cause severe diarrhea and vomiting when it is consumed raw. Asafoetida is found in three forms like tears, mass and paste. Tears is the purest form of resin and are rounded or flattened in shape, 5 to 30 mm in diameter and dull yellow or grayish in color. The common commercial form is Mass asafetida. It consists of tears converted into a more or less uniform mass generally mixed with fragments of root, earth etc. The paste form also contains extraneous matter. Read the rest of this entry »

Parsley is one of the most popular culinary herbs, which is used to cure various health diseases. It is also known as “rock celery”. Petroselinum crispum is the botanical name of Parsley and belongs to the Umbelliferae family of plants. Almost everyone has seen a dish in a restaurant that garnished with parsley, and the waiter leaves the parsley on the serving dish. Parsley belongs to the group of the world’s seven most potent disease-fighting spices which also include Cinnamon, Ginger, Oregano, Turmeric, Sage, and Red chili peppers. For any juicing regimen, parsley is a great addition as it is beneficial to health.

Parsley is well known herb which grows in most climates and is readily available throughout the year. Very little space is required to grow this herb; it can be grow in the flower pot also. It is a bi-annual herb that means it will grow the first year and die back after arrival of the frost. It is a rich source of several vital vitamins and minerals. The diuretic property of parsley can help people who have genitourinary problems. The parsley juice has so many health benefits however too much consumption of it can be toxic. So, people should limit their intake of parsley juice to about 1/2 cup per day. Read the rest of this entry »