Nutritional
Fact Sheet: We are revealing to you what is in the vegetables and fruits that we use
to make our fantastic juices and smoothies. When you read this you will
see why we don’t want to keep it a secret!
Fruit Fresh fruit provides us with minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins and much more. We have highlighted here the major benefits of each of the fruits we use in our drinks.
Once known only to natives of the Amazon Rainforest, the acai berry is now being sought after for its exceptional antioxidant power and health qualities. Aside from being a perfect source of nutrition and carbohydrates, the high levels of antioxidants in the acai berry lead to a significant increase in energy levels and stamina. Taken on a regular basis, the acai berry strengthens the immune system to increase resistance to infections and protect against cancer and disease.
Apples are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants are one key to heart health, because they help protect our cardiovascular system from oxygen-related damage. Apples have also shown up in several studies as a significant way to lower asthma risk. In fact, apples have stood out amongst other fruits when it comes to general support of lung function and lung health.
Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine also confirms that eating high fibre foods, such as bananas, helps prevent heart disease. Bananas have long been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage.
Blueberries are literally bursting with nutrients and flavour, yet very low in calories. Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer.
Emerging evidence links CHERRIES to many important health benefits. They help reduce uric acid so easing the pain of arthritis and gout, and because of their high level of antioxidants, they reduce risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also contain melatonin, which has been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.
Cranberries have been valued for their ability to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections for hundreds of years. They also work for prostate infections and can help protect against kidney stone formations.
Kiwifruit, like the orange (see below), is as an excellent source of vitamin C.
Limes are also high in vitamin C, and were issued to British sailors during the 19th century to prevent scurvy, which led to the sailors being called ‘limeys’.
Mangoes are, like all yellow and orange fruits, an excellent source of beta carotene (pre-form vitamin A), vitamin E and selenium which help protect against heart disease and cancer. Beta-carotene also has a protective effect against the harmful rays of the sun.
Melons are high in potassium which helps to protect the heart and blood pressure.
Oranges are a good source of vitamin C. This nutrient is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, neutralizing free radicals that can cause damage to cells and lead to inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. Much research has been done to show the importance of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of cancers of all kinds. And Linus Pauling, twice awarded Nobel prize winner, concluded that vitamin C at doses many times the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is vital in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Fruits such as kiwis, oranges and limes provide a small but significant contribution to our daily requirements of vitamin C.
PASSIONFRUIT is a good source of fibre. The juice and leaves of passion fruit contain alkaloids which have blood pressure lowering, sedative and antispasmodic action. Researchers at the University of Florida have found that the carotenoids and polyphenols in yellow passion fruit extracts can kill cancer cells in vitro. Other studies have shown that purple passion fruit peel extract can reduce asthma symptoms.
PEARS are rich in V, Vitamin C, E, copper and potassium. They are the least allergenic of all fruits and were used, along with lamb, during the Great Ormond Street Hospital research into food allergies and health problems in the 1980s. Pears are a good first juice to introduce to infants. Most of the fibre is insoluble, making pears a good laxative. The gritty fibre content may cut down on the number of cancerous colon polyps. Most of the vitamin C, as well as the dietary fibre, are contained within the skin of the fruit.
PINEAPPLES are rich in fibre which is important for preventing constipation. Pineapple contains bromelain which helps with protein digestion and is a natural anti-inflammatory. Pineapples are very rich in manganese which is vital for cartilage production, especially useful in the knees.
Raspberries contain ellagic acid, an antioxidant that protects cell membranes from free radical damage. Eating the seeds in raspberries, and strawberries (see below), provides nitrilosides which are nature’s own anti-cancer treatment.
Strawberries are high in vitamin C as well as a wide range of nutrients.
Spices & Herbs
GINGER has a long tradition of being very effective in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. In herbal medicine, ginger is regarded as an excellent carminative (a substance which promotes the elimination of intestinal gas) and intestinal spasmolytic (a substance which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract).
Ginger also possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.
MINT is well known for its ability to sooth the digestive tract and reduces the severity and length of stomach aches. In addition, mint teas and other herbal preparations have shown great promise at slowing the growth of many of the most harmful bacteria and fungi. The well-documented antifungal properties of mint are thought to play a role in the treatment of asthma and many allergy conditions as well. Mint is known to contain a phytonutrient called perillyl alcohol, which has been shown in animal studies to prevent the formation of colon, skin and lung cancer.
Vegetables All vegetables contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant sterols (naturally occurring hormones) that help protect against the hormone-disrupting effects of oestrogen dominance and cardiovascular disease.
CARROTS are the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A, beta-carotene. Carrots' antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision and the prevention of macular degeneration. Carrots also contain a phytonutrient called falcarinol that may provide protection against colon cancer.
CELERY is a good source of vitamin C and several other active compounds that promote health, including phthalides, which may help lower cholesterol, and coumarins, that may be useful in cancer prevention and hormone regulation, especially in mid-life.
The flesh of CUCUMBERS is primarily composed of water but also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling. Cucumbers’ hard skin is rich in fibre and contains a variety of beneficial minerals including silica, potassium and magnesium.
Nuts / Seeds
Nuts and seeds are little nutritional power houses containing protein, fibre, good fats, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins – especially the B vitamins, folate, vitamins E and A.
PINE NUTS are perfect for dieters, containing pinolenic acid which induces satiety and reduction in appetite. Pine nuts contain antioxidants in the form of phenolics and flavinoids which protect against free radical damage and help prevent cancer and heart disease. Their high concentration of monounsaturated fat is also beneficial for a healthy heart. Pine nuts are a good source of iron, vitamins A, E, K and folate.
PUMPKIN SEEDS are high in zinc which, along with the high levels of carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids, may support prostate and bone health in men over 40. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in magnesium and potassium which are vital in muscle relaxation to avoid cramps. This is particularly important in the heart where a heart attack can be caused by muscle spasm due to lack of magnesium and potassium.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS are rich in vitamin E, selenium and folate which are important for strong immunity, healthy skin and thyroid and in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
WALNUTS are high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids both of which are important in protecting the cardiovascular system and prevention of strokes. Walnuts are good for hypertension, containing the amino-acid, L-arginine, which is converted to nitric oxide in the body to keep the inside of blood vessels smooth and relaxed. They also contain the antioxidants, ellagic and Gallic acid which inhibit free radical damage and protect against cancer.
All these nuts and seeds are ingredients in our OMEGA ESSENTIALS SMOOTHIE or you can ask for a NUT & SEEDS MIX BOOST and add it to any drink you buy.
COCONUT is an excellent source of saturated fatty acids, which despite the health education of the last forty years or so, are actually essential to health. Your heart’s preferred form of fuel is saturated fat! Coconut also contains caprylic acid which has natural anti-fungal properties. Latest research shows that coconut is an excellent food for thyroid function.
Other Ingredients
HONEY has been used as a natural sweetener and for its medicinal qualities since time immemorial, including having natural anti-bacterial action. Honey reflects the chemistry of its nectar, a watery solution of fructose, glucose, and sucrose, collected from flowers and concentrated by the bees. The major portion of sucrose is altered to laevulose and dextrose by bee enzymes, making it a pre-digested liquid source of carbohydrates. It has some benefit for those under stress with carbohydrate digesting problems. Honey contains a range of B vitamins and trace minerals.
Soy milk has long been a popular alternative for people who are sensitive to lactose in dairy milk. Soy milk is high in protein and low in fat, and tastes good!
Our YOGHURT is sugar free, low fat and most importantly full of live bacteria that are vital for intestinal function. The benefits of ‘probiotics’ have been greatly researched and include the prevention of colon cancer and other bowel disorders. Good intestinal flora prime your immune system for self-defence; improve digestion, absorption of nutrients from food; manufacture B vitamins and vitamin K; produce natural antibiotics and increase gut acidity to exclude pathogenic bacteria, fungi and parasites; detoxify and transform harmful substances including heavy metals and carcinogenic molecules; stimulate gut motility (stop constipation); digest lactose; support hormone efficiency; process dietary cholesterol and bile salts, and improve nutrient bioavailability, for B vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium and phosphorus, among others.
