Issue 23 - June 24, 2010

In This Issue:

• 9 Healthy Condiments

• Stick With H2O

• Fit Tips

9 Healthy Condiments

According to Prevention Magazine, here are nine condiments that have hidden health benefits.

Ketchup

Ketchup contains lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. Try to choose organic ketchup, which has 60% more lycopene per gram than regular ketchup. Organic ketchup also has higher levels of vitamins A, C and E.

Rosemary

Rosemary minimizes or eliminates carcinogens that are formed when some foods are cooked. One study found that seasoning beef with rosemary before grilling can reduce cancer-causing substances called HCAs by 30% to 100%. Another study found that adding dried rosemary to flour reduced acrylamide by more than 50%. Acrylamide is a potentially carcinogenic compound that forms when carbohydrate-rich foods are heated above 250°F.

Dark Honey

Dark honey, like buckwheat honey and blueberry honey, contains the most antioxidants.

Horseradish

According to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, compounds in horseradish called glucosinolates can increase your liver's ability to detoxify carcinogens and may suppress the growth of existing tumors. Horseradish is one of the best sources of glucosinolates.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a top source of oleic acid, a fatty acid that's converted during digestion to oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a hormone that helps keep brain cells healthy.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon enhances insulin sensitivity, which helps keeps blood sugar levels stable.

Hot Sauce

According to research in the European Journal of Nutrition, eating just one meal that contains capsaicin - the compound that gives hot sauce and chile peppers their heat - not only reduces levels of the hunger-causing hormone ghrelin, but also raises levels of the appetite-suppressing hormone GLP-1.

Black Pepper

According to research from the University of Michigan, a compound in black pepper called piperine may help interrupt the self-renewing process of cancer-initiating stem cells. "By limiting the number of stem cells, you're limiting the number of cells with the potential to form tumors," says lead study author Madhuri Kakarala.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut contains probiotics, which are microorganisms that maintain intestinal health by restoring good bacteria to your digestive system. For more information on probiotics, visit the Health Benefits of Probiotics page.

Stick With H2O

Researchers have found that people who get most of their daily fluids from plain water may have healthier diets overall.

After analyzing data from a national health survey of 12,283 Americans, the researchers found that people who primarily drank plain water, rather than other beverages, were likely to eat more fiber, less sugar, and fewer calorie-dense foods than people who got most of their daily fluids from other beverages.

For more information on water, visit the Importance of Drinking Water page.

Fit Tips

• Research has shown that people whose main goal is overall health and well-being are 34% more likely to stick with their exercise program than people whose main goal is weight loss.

• People with good muscle mass recover more easily from mental stresses such as bad commutes and problems at work because their blood pressure normalizes faster after a stressful incident.

• Researchers at Britain's Peninsula Medical School and University of Reading found that study participants were able to improve their memories by consuming 10 ounces of blueberries daily for 12 weeks. Blueberries are rich in flavonoids, which are compounds linked to brain cell growth. Blackberries, cranberries and cherries are also rich in flavonoids.