I discovered the joy of eating artichokes just a few years ago. I like it best simply boiled whole, and each shell peeled off and dipped in garlicky creme fraiche. Yeah, I know, not exactly the healthiest dip, but as I ony seldom have it, I allow myself such rare indulgences.
Did you know that artichokes are nutrient dense?
Artichokes are an excellent source of dietary magnesium, fiber, and the trace mineral chromium. They are also a very good source of vitamins A and C, folic acid, biotin, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, potassium, the trace mineral manganese, and a carbohydrate that …read more

Of course, you can always take folic acid supplements, but folate (aka Vitamin B9) is also naturally present in certain foods.
Leafy vegetables such as spinach and turnip greens, dried beans and peas, fortified cereal products, sunflower seeds and certain other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of folate.
Try out this Kale, Sausage & Lentil Skillet Supper recipe. A serving already covers 79% of the daily value!
For a list of food sources of folate and folic acid, check out the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and this food chart from the Florida Folic Acid Coalition.

It’s the National Birth Defects Prevention Month and Folic Acid Awareness Week.
What’s the connection of folic acid and birth defects? Folic acid is the single most effective weapon against spina bifida, a disabling birth defect which results from the failure of the baby’s spine to close during its first few months in the womb. It is therefore crucial that a pregnant woman takes sufficient folic acid during the first few months or even before conception to reduce the risks of neural tube defects in the baby. Since most pregnancies are unexpected, all women of childbearing age are recommended to …read more

My son had dairy allergies as a toddler. He has outgrown them now, thank heavens, but there was a time when I was looking for alternative calcium sources for milk-allergics and found out that sesame seeds can be a suitable option.
Apparently, not only are they rich in calcium (a quarter-cup supplies up to more than a third of the daily value for calcium), it’s also rich in

calcium, and provides pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis
magnesium, which is important for managing asthma, high blood pressure, migraine attacks, and sleep in menopausal women
zinc, a trace element important for bone health and preventing …read more

Looks like aside from being crucial in a pregnant woman’s diet, folic acid is turning out to have many other health benefits. In the past, I’ve posted how this compound can

possibly reduce risks of cardiovascular disease
cut risks of cleft lip in babies
help reduce the effects of bisphenol exposure

A more recent study also showed that folic acid supplements can dramatically lower blood arsenic levels in individuals exposed to arsenic through contaminated drinking water.
Folic acid increased the methylation or detoxification of arsenic in the body, allowing the body to change some of its more toxic metabolite, or methylarsonic (MMA) acid, to a …read more

Did you know that daily consumption– about 85g daily– of fresh watercress can significantly reduce DNA damage to blood cells due to free radicals, and thus reduce cancer risks? Watercress is a rich source of phytochemicals called glucosinolates, and also contains phenolic compounds and flavonoids.
According to a study published in this month’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a watercress diet resulted to

significant reduction in DNA damage to lymphocytes (white blood cells), by 22.9 per cent.
reduction in DNA damage to lymphocytes (white blood cells) when a sample was challenged with the free radical generating chemical hydrogen peroxide, by 9.4%
reduction in …read more

Expectant moms are always advised to take folic acid supplements, sometimes even those who are still in the planning stage of conception. It has been shown that folic acid is vital during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of the infant developing neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
A recent study conducted in Norway also showed that taking folic acid supplements in addition to a folate-rich diet also seems to substantially reduce the risk of cleft lip.
Folic acid supplementation during early pregnancy (≥400 µg/day) was associated with a reduced risk of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate …read more

I’ve been invited to participate in this week’s edition of the Grand Rounds, a carnival of medical blog entries, and I’ve submitted my entry on 9 suprisingly healthy foods. It’s an edition you readers of Eating Fabulous shouldn’t miss, as this week’s theme revolve around food and diet.
Although all entries beg reading, here are my top picks which emphasize the medicinal benefits of food:
Jolie Bookspan of The Fitness Fixer enumerates food items that may help with hyperacidity and other gastric problems.
Cynthia Sass of The Diet Dish discusses the various health benefits we can derive from brussels sprouts: helps in blood …read more

Researchers from the USDA Human Nutrition Center say blueberries rank as #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables, and thus contribute in preventing cancer and other age-related diseases.
Dr. Fuhrman of DiseaseProof reiterates the medicinal value of blueberries:
Like all other foods, the calories in blueberries come from its macro nutrients – 56 grams of carbohydrate, 1.5 grams of fat and 2.7 grams of protein. But it is blueberries’ micro nutrient content that packs the most impressive wallop. Blueberries are packed with tannins, anthocyanins that have been linked to prevention – and even reversal – of …read more

Orange juice is a healthy beverage. Not only is it a wonderfully refreshing and rich source of Vitamin C, it’s also been shown to effectively prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Well some people even made it healthier… by fortifying OJ with plant sterols, and thus coming up with a heart-healthy drink.