The health benefits of cucumbers

Cucumbers are native to many regions in the world due to their ability to thrive in both temperate and tropical climates. However, it is believed that they originated in Western Asia or the Middle East around 2500 BC.
The worlds largest producer of cucumbers is China, followed by Iran, Egypt, Russia, Turkey, Mexico, Spain and Japan, to name but a few. Collectively their annual production of cucumbers is estimated to be around 68 million tons.

Cucumbers belong to the same family as Melons and squashes, and are technically a fruit, but are commonly considered a vegetable. Commercially there are two types of cucumbers, although many hundreds of varieties, the larger, longer ones with slightly thicker skins are known as slicing cucumbers and are meant for fresh consumption. Then there is the smaller type, with thinner skins, these are used for pickling.

The three ...

Peas that pack a punch

Green peas are thought to have originated from Central Asia and the Middle East, and their cultivation dates back many thousands of years. Although grown and widely popular around the world, Canada is currently the worlds largest producer and exporter of green peas, followed by France, Russia, India and China. Interestingly, India is the worlds largest importer of green peas, due to their popularity within the Indian cuisine.

Surprisingly, given their popularity the humble green pea has been overlooked in terms of research with regards to their health benefits, with the dried version rather than fresh being more commonly used during research. It is with this in mind that there seems very little to say. However, the ...

The health benefits of cauliflower

The often overlooked white cauliflower is a haven of nutrients that are essential for our health, these beauties originate from the Mediterranean and date back to the 6th century B.C. As with many of our fruits and vegetables, China and India are now the largest producers of cauliflowers in the world.

Cauliflower belongs to a genus and species of plant known as 'Brassica Oleracea', which includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and cabbage. The head is actually closely packed, undeveloped flower buds. The lack of colour is due to the large green leaves that shield the head from the sunlight.

Raw cauliflower ...

The health benefits of potatoes

Potatoes have long been a favourite dietary staple, whether mashed, fried, baked, roasted or boiled they are loved the world over and therefore deserve their title as the number one vegetable crop in the world.

Potatoes were originally cultivated thousands of years ago by the Indians living in South America. They were brought to Europe around the 16th century by the Spanish explorers. During the 19th century potatoes were a relied upon food source in Ireland owing to the country's poor economy however, during the the late 1840's a blight affected the potato crop leading to what is now known as the Irish potato famine, this devastation led ...

The Health Benefits of Tomatoes.

Tomatoes are nutrient packed fruits and botanically speaking they are berries. The consumption of tomatoes and tomato extract offers a powerhouse of antioxidants including a good source of vitamin A, C, E flavones, flavonols, carotenoids and glycocides. These juicy fresh fruits are available all year round, although they are in season from July through to September.

Tomatoes originate from Mexico and is thought they were prized by the Aztec civilisations. Spanish explorers brought the seeds back to European shores around the 1500's, although not initially welcomed, they have now become a firm favourite.
The largest producing country of tomatoes is China, followed the the United States, Turkey and Italy.

Lycopene is the carotenoid pigment that is known for its bright red colour on tomatoes however, the colours can vary from red, yellow, orange, green, purple, black and brown. Interestingly small studies have shown that lycopene is more effectively absorbed by the body in the orange tomatoes, compared ...

The Health Benefits of Spinach.

Spinach is believed to be of Persian origin, and arrived on European shores around the 11th Century. The chlorophyll packed leaf belongs to the chenopodiaceae family which includes nutritional powerhouses including beets, Swiss chard and Quinoa.

Spinach is available all year round, but in season during spring. The leaf is known to help restore energy, increase vitality and improve the quality of blood.

The rich dark green leaves indicate that the spinach is rich in chlorophyll, which has been linked to natural cancer prevention by blocking carcinogenic effects within the body, whilst protecting DNA from damage.

Spinach is rich in glycoglycerolipid molecules which have been found to be beneficial in protecting the lining ...

The Health Benefits of Carrots.

The name carrot stems from the Greek work 'Karotan' and the word carotene was given with the carrot in mind. These beautifully simple orange roots were originally only available in purple and white around the 10th Century, with the addition of yellow and red colours around the 15th Century. However, in modern times, they are most widely found in the well recognised colour of orange.

Originally cultivated in central Asia and the Middle East, the largest producer of carrots is now China with a share estimated to be one third of the worlds production, followed by Russia, although many other countries produce substantial amounts.

Carrots are most commonly linked to high levels of antioxidants, this is ...

The health Benefits of eating broccoli.

This amazing health giving vegetable is part of the cabbage family, and was once considered uniquely valuable by the Italians around the time of the Roman Empire. In fact the most common variety of broccoli is called Calabrese, named after Calabria in Italy.

Broccoli is the go-to vegetable for all round health benefits including, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detox support, with an additional serving of anti-cancer nutrients, what's not to love?


Anti-inflammatory
The glucosinolates found in broccoli can help to suppress the inflammatory response, which is promoted by the NF-KappaB signalling system, thus leading to an overall reduction in harmful chronic inflammation.
The vitamins, minerals, flavonoids ...

The beauty of Red Cabbage

Cabbage is one of the oldest known vegetables, dating back some 4000 years, this beautiful and versatile vegetable is thought to stem from wild cabbage, a more open leaved variety than the head of cabbage we see more commonly now. Once, highly regarded by the Greek and Romans for treating many ailments, it has since lost its placing in more modern times.

However, a closer look may restore its popularity. Red cabbage is rich in antioxidants, glucosinolates and has strong anti-inflammatory properties. The high antioxidants include anthocyanins and a phytochemical called indole, science has shown a link between Indoles and a reduction in cancer, in particular, breast cancer.

Another benefit in eating red cabbage is from the glutamine content. ...

Beetroot

November is the season for beetroot, this beautiful sweet and earthy tasting vegetable is cheap and comes with a whole lot of health giving benefits.

Beetroot is up to ten percent sugar but, with a low glycaemic index it means the sugar is released into the blood stream slowly, helping to maintain blood sugar levels. The velvety texture and beautiful vivid colour makes beetroot a must for any meal.

Historically, the root was carrot shaped, and much like carrots the beet was grown for its leaves. In modern times it has been predominately eaten in its pickled form, saturated in strong vinegar, which has either attracted or repelled its audience.
If the latter is the case, you should take a second look at this ...

Kale

During the month of October and into winter months kale is more plentiful, although thankfully it is generally available all year round.

Kale is a part of the brassica family which includes Broccoli, Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. In recent times it has earned the title of one of the worlds healthiest foods. Although, it would be fair to point out that it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years, it seems that only now we are appreciating this beautiful, health giving vegetable.

Leaf Types

- Curly-leaved (Scots Kale ,blue curled kale)
- Plain-leaved
- Rape kale
- Leaf and spear
- Bumpy-leaved (black cabbage)



The benefits of ...