Vegetables – Molon Labe Farms

4 Fall Produce Picks to Boost Immunity

h_c_hubbard — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 04:31:16 +0000

Are you getting enough of this crucial vitamin? An antioxidant, vitamin C promotes wrinkle-free skin, supports good immunity.

And may help the body protect itself against some diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Oranges and other citrus aren’t the only sources. These fall/winter vegetables offer ample amounts too. With cold and flu season around the corner, now is a good time to revamp your crisper drawer with these fresh picks.

Cooking tip

Vitamin C can be easily lost in the cooking process, particularly when veggies are boiled and drained. To retain more nutrients, cook into soups or stews, or lightly steam or microwave. Roasting or broiling results in less vitamin retention than other methods, but the results are very delicious.

Behind the Scenes

Frying virtually obliterates vitamin C and other volatile nutrients. Our advice? Avoid frying, vary other cooking methods, and enjoy. Broccoli provides about 100 mg vitamin C per cup (chopped), plus sulforaphane, a potent antioxidant studied for its anticancer effects.

Try lightly steaming and dressing with lemon juice (more C!), olive oil and salt.

A cup of cauliflower contains approximately 93 mg vitamin C. Bonus: You’ll also get several grams of fiber. Steam cauliflower, then mash with miso, sesame oil and ginger; or garlic, olive oil and herbs. A cup of kale contains tons of vitamin A (twice your daily value), vitamin K, trace minerals and 80 mg of vitamin C.

Sweet Potato Health Benefits

h_c_hubbard — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 04:30:27 +0000

Besides being astronaut-approved, sweet potatoes are a great source of easily digestible fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids and anthocyanins, which contribute to the bright orange color of their skin and flesh and boast health benefits as well.

Feeding kids organic food

h_c_hubbard — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 04:29:18 +0000

Choosing organic meat and dairy for your kids is the best way to ensure that they’re not exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like the synthetic hormones given to nonorganic livestock to speed growth and alter reproductive cycles. And choosing organic meat and dairy means your children are not fed meat that was raised on daily doses of antibiotics to speed growth, leading to dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Become Heart Healthy in 5 Steps

h_c_hubbard — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 04:27:56 +0000

Improving your diet lowers your risk for heart disease in many ways, including helping to lower high cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar and insulin levels, as well as preventing obesity and improving the function of your heart and blood vessels. If you are watching your heart health, the following foods should not make it onto your meal plan very often. In fact, if you can cut them out of your diet, your heart will be healthier for it.

Why You Should Eat Avocados

h_c_hubbard — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 01:59:37 +0000

It’s no secret that I love to eat. My favorite food of all? Avocados. I’m bananas for them! Avocados are truly one of nature’s little miracle foods and I encourage you to enjoy them several times a week. These little green gems can do so much to help keep you well from head to toe, they’re simply too good to pass up.
The heyday of food-fat-phobia is over. If you’re still avoiding avocados because of some misguided, left-over-from-the-80’s belief that avocados will make you fat, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You’re also missing out on an excellent source of monounsaturated fat – the good fat also found in olive oil – that helps boost heart health.
What’s more, those good fat and fiber-rich avocados can also help curb hunger. Studies indicate that meals which include avocado tend to increase feelings of satiety for longer than those without, so consider adding a few avocado slices to your daily diet to help tame between-meal munchies.