Remember my entry on beetroot juice and its effect on blood pressure? There’s a hearty discussion there, thanks to reader Jane Raibook who shares her positive experience on beetroot juice, so you may want to check that out.
In connection, I’ve also come across these healthy beet recipes from the New York Times. This should help incorporate beet into your diet if you don’t take to the juice. The Risotto With Beet Greens and Roasted Beets looks good and easy enough to whip up.
Photo Credit: Zed.Cat via Flickr

In a study published recently in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, researchers found out that among several food items tested, konjac gum and sesame seed extract may protect against, or reduce severity of gastro-intestinal infections caused by different E. coli and Salmonella strains.
In the lab study which also included negative controls, the scientists looked at 18 food-related products including coffee beans, carrot, mango, fermented soya, and food stabilizers such as locust bean gum and konjac gum. All were subjected to in-vitro exposure to various bacteria which were allowed to attach themselves to the test products. The …read more

Staying clear of carbs? You might want to re-consider putting potato back into your meal plan.
A recent study indicates that potatoes contain certain protein compounds that appears to have antioxidant properties and help reduce blood pressure.
Isolated proteins, obtained as processing waste from the potato industry, could form hydrolysates which possessed angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity, report the researchers in the journal Food Chemistry.
“The results of this study suggest that potato is a promising source for the production of bioactive compounds as ingredients for developing functional foods with a beneficial impact on cardiovascular health,” wrote lead author Anne Pihlanto from MTT …read more

Here’s a candy that’s sure to be a hit with kids (and their parents): a lollipop that fights tooth decay! It’s sugar-free, and contains an extract of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) which kills the primary bacteria responsible for tooth decay (Streptococccus mutans).

[Professor Wenyuan Shi] determined that an extract of licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is effective against tooth-decaying bacteria, providing the scientific basis for the ancient practice of chewing licorice root. “This was particularly charming because in both Chinese and in Western cultures, people have been chewing it maybe for the taste, but it also has a lot of good …read more

There are tons of weight-loss articles over there, but as that is NOT the focus of this blog, here are a few new articles from the Diet Channel I thought would be of interest to you too:
The New and Improved School Lunch — America’s response to Jamie Oliver’s program in the UK
Incorporating Potatoes in a Healthy Diet — Potatoes are inherently healthy. It’s the way they are cooked that make them otherwise.
New Research: Breast Cancer Low-Fat Diet — Highlights a study indicating that a diet low in fat may reduce a women’s chance of breast cancer recurrence.
Click and read!

During the last few days, one of the top resolutions I’ve read and heard people make is that they are going to try and eat healthier this year. The way they said it, they sounded like it was some sort of death sentence!
Well, no need to mope, guys! If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ll know by now that healthy food does not necessarily equate to bland, boring, and tasteless stuff you eat just to stave off hunger. Forbes gives us a slideshow, featuring 9 surprisingly healthy foods:
1. Chocolates: Dark ones for your heart, milky ones for your brain.
2. …read more

The skin of the potato is a deep garnet red, its flesh a brilliant ruby. When boiled and mashed it turns a creamy fuchsia. As a chip it’s a delicate rose pink that would fit in at tea parties and fundraisers.
That is just one of the several types of potatoes being evaluated by researchers at Oregon State University, for its suitability for growing under organic conditions i.e., zero use of synthetic pesticides. Aside from being organic, these potatoes are also being screened for its “value-added” traits that would up their chances of being a hit among consumers: better taste, unusual …read more