As the holidays come and go, certain traditions stay with families; major traditions remain in food choices. Whether it’s roasting chestnuts over an open fire or making cranberries into a sauce for a turkey dinner, holiday foods doesn’t have to be guilt inducing. Some of these food traditions can be a fantastic source of nutrition, making holidays better for the body than most may think.

Chestnuts are tasty to roast, perfect for stuffing turkeys, and make a wonderful gluten substitute. It can be used to make breads, soups, butters, and creams with a nutty flavor. This is perfect because it’s low fat and low calorie, even for a nut. It’s packed full of vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium. These traits make it comparable to sweet potatoes or corn, which also come as holiday favorites. Those eating chestnuts will find them also a good source of high quality protein, fiber, and exceptional amounts of vitamin C and folates. Folic acids are the building blocks for blood cells and synthesizing DNA, which are both pertinent during pregnancy for a well developed baby. On top of all that, it lowers bad cholesterol and promotes the good kind. Whether it’s used as a gluten-free substitute or not, chestnuts can make the holidays happier for everybody.

Another tradition with holidays incorporates the use of cranberries into dinners and desserts. These are not only a beautiful brilliant red, but also packed full of antioxidants that protect urinary tract infections. The antioxidants work by clinging to the bacteria that may build up or become introduced to sensitive body areas. They disarm it and make the bacteria unable to cling to cell walls, thus preventing it from infecting any other cells or becoming detrimental. These antioxidants also kill H. Plyori bacteria, which cause cancer and stomach ulcers.

Holiday traditions tend to make people feel like they’re putting on pounds, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Chestnuts and cranberries alike, if used properly, can make the holidays into healthy days with just a couple cookies or a ruby red sauce.

A fresh berry cobbler is always welcome to the dinner table; what better way to sneak health into the diets of vegetable fearing children than with sweets? A quick fruit filling can be composed of the following ingredients:
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 c each: blueberries, blackberries, goji berries
1 c sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 c water
1 tsp zest
Mix the ingredients together and let them sit together for 30 minutes to mingle the flavors properly. While that’s sitting, prepare your favorite sweet biscuit recipe, or retrieve a can of pre-made biscuits to cover the fruit to bake into a true cobbler. Biscuits, however, are not a necessary part of a delicious dessert. Stewed fruit alone makes a healthier and equally tasty meal. When the fruit has sat for 30 minutes and the biscuits are ready–if being used–spread them out flat over top of the fruit in an oven safe dish.
After the 30 minutes of letting the fruit rest, place it in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. If biscuits are being used, wait until they are fluffy and golden brown. The fruit should be bubbling but not scorched. Check frequently to prevent it from boiling over. Cobbler tastes great served with fresh whipped cream and pleases many taste buds while also pleasing their body’s system’s with the benefits of goji berries.

Goji berries can also be snuck into dessert through cheesecake using the following ingredients:
16 oz cream cheese
1 c sugar
2 room temperature eggs, lightly beaten
2 c blueberries and goji berries
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c orange juice
1/4 c sour cream
Blend a cup of the berries with a tablespoon of orange juice to make a berry puree. Then make the cheesecake itself by mixing the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Add the sour cream and the rest of the orange juice. Find a pan for the cheesecake and put half of the cream filling in the bottom. Layer on the berry puree, then cover it with the other half of cheesecake batter. Line the top with the leftover berries.
Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. This means getting a slightly larger pan, filling it with water, and placing the cheesecake’s baking pan in the watered pan. This helps it cook properly. Bake the cheesecake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes, then let it chill for four hours.

Dessert can be a great way to sneak goji berries into the diets of unsuspecting family members and create a healthy meal. It’ll ultimately lead to a happier holiday with better feeling guests, as well as bring satisfaction that dessert wasn’t completely off a good diet. Goji berries can substitute any berry and be part of any meal.

The recipe is a simple one and can be played with at will, though sometimes play may sacrifice some of its benefits. All it takes is a heaping spoonful of organic cocoa powder mixed in a cup of organic soy milk. A scoop of espresso adds a kick of energy and small additions of cinnamon and cayenne pepper give it a kick that really adds flavor. If doubtful about the amounts, make sure to add little bits of spices and increase them to taste. Just a dash of sweetener, while not traditional, certainly makes it more palatable.

To start the drink, make sure to use soy milk. Cow’s milk has an enzyme that will neutralize the affects of the cocoa powder and render the drink nearly useless. Soy itself has its benefits anyway. It contains extra protein and fiber that cannot be found in cow’s milk, as well as isoflavones that help prevent cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. While organic soy milk may not taste as silky as that of a cow, it’s not so bad when spiced up.

The cocoa that is added to the milk is important. Pure ground cocao bean does wonders for the body and cannot be substituted with normal Hershey’s cocoa powder. While it may say 100% pure cocoa, it contains alkalis which neutralize the cocoa’s benefits, rendering it just a decadent dessert. Making sure the cocoa powder is 100% organic cocoa is vital–it also tends to be cheaper, as there is nothing added.

Adding spices to a drink may be the most fun in concocting it–and half the healthiness of it as well. Cinnamon and cayenne both happen to be chock full of nutrients. If 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon is taken a day it has been shown to reduce cholesterol. Mix that with a tablespoon of honey and there’s a quick and easy arthritis pain reliever. Cayenne increases metabolism and revitalizes vein structures, ultimately leading to a healthy heart. Finally, add a kick of espresso to help lift the eyelids and pump in some extra antioxidants, finishing off a body-friendly drink.

While some may not appeal to the somewhat bitter taste, there are ways to improve the taste. A spoonful of sugar is a common remedy to flavor issues, and holds true to this as well. A scoop of soy ice cream could also turn this into the healthiest milkshake anyone could ask for. Honey is also great for cutting through bitterness and, in conjunction with the cinnamon, could create an arthritis-fighting drink. Do what works best and experiment until the best flavor is obtained.

Aztec cocoa may be an acquired taste, but if you can get over the bitter flavor, it could be the perfect alternative to morning coffee, or even just an added drink whenever your body is feeling low on goodness. The ingredients are natural, simple, cheap, and wonderful on the body, not to mention easy to obtain. Just a few extra moments paying attention to your health and some creativity could make all the difference.

Goji berries improve the function of the human immune system. The polysaccharides that the goji berry consumes are very effective to improve the immune cells functions and in this way make the cells stronger to defend against diseases. Due to the regular intake of various processed foods, overweight the very common problem in modern day. For such people who are trying to lose their weight will get a positive impact if they just add goji berries in their diet. The polysaccharides that these berries contain make the alteration of food into the energy. So, whether someone take eat the berries or drink the juice extracted from it, his body will be able to store less fat. Contrary to that, they will make it a cause of instant energy. Except these, goji berries is a source of rich antioxidants that help to avoid heart disease and glaucoma. So, to live a healthy living it is very necessary for a person to include goji berries in regular diet in various forms such as juice, goji chocolates and smoothies made from it.

There are various vital nutrients like Vitamins A, B, C and E, amino acids, minerals, proteins, and anti-oxidants present in Goji berries. Anti-oxidants keep a person away from aging effects. Vitamin A provides better eyesight, while other vitamins help in strengthening the immune system and digestive system. A strong immune system helps keep the diseases at a distance. Amino acids reduce the extra calories from the body thereby reducing the body weight. Extra calories in body reduces the energy level, Goji is believed to shoot up the energy level. Goji juices are often called as energy drink.

There are endless benefits of dried Goji berries. The scientists have found that this fruit is helpful in fighting with cancer. Those who suffering from cancer may start consuming Gojis as the disease can be cured faster.

Goji improve the memory and sleeping disorders by toning your brain, which ensures a better functioning of nervous system. Goji has miraculous properties of improving blood circulation in human body. These berries contain anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory compounds. Goji berries help in resolving the fertility and sexual problems in a person. It strengthens the heart, liver, and kidneys by its multi- nutritional qualities.

The sundry benefits may nourishment of skin and hair. Goji berries help the better functioning of excretory system. It outflows the toxins from the body resulting in purification of blood. After taking all these nutrients regularly, it is sure to increase the quality of life and lifespan of the people.

Goji berries are being consumed all over the world in different forms. Some like to take it in juice form, some prefer the raw berries and some like the dried berries.
The nutritional value of all the forms is more or less same.

Stamina also remains under control and makes the hormone growth in an effective manner. The fruit perfectly stimulates pituitary gland especially of human growth hormone. The main advantages associated with human growth hormone are improvisation of memory, reduction of body fat, restoration of libido and gives a youthful appearance.

Eating of goji berries prevent the problem of getting exposure to the pollutants, free radicals and chemical damage the DNA that results into facing problem of genetic mutations, cancer and death. It also helps in the reducing weight and transforms the food into energy to make the body fit and fine. Metabolic rate of the body remain under control. Goji berries reduce the toxic effects of radiation and chemotherapy, and help to combat the problem of lung cancer.

Goji berries enhance the sexual function in an effective manner and increases the level of testosterone level of the body. It proves to be the good supplement, which prevents the body from diseases. Improvisation in vision is also one of the advantages one enjoys while eating goji berries as a part of regular diet. Goji berries are a shriveled kind of red berries, which looks like red raisins in look.

Some of the other name of goji berries is lyceum barbarum, wolfberry, and fructus lycii. Goji berry is one of the nutritious edibles, which include amino acids in the form of isoleucine and methione. It perfectly boosts up the human health and makes the health always fine. Because of the health benefits present in the goji berries, it has become the world’s most powerful anti- aging kind of food.

The need to be healthy starts from our early days in the womb of our mothers. It’s even very crucial for us to get the most of nutrients in order for us to develop normally. And after we’re born, nourishment even becomes more active and frequent. For a fact, we even get more for our immunity inside the womb through the form of IgG from our mothers and it only dwindles down when we’re about six months of age, when we can make our own antibodies. The thing is we all need a healthy life no matter what age we have, but of course it gets more indispensable when we’re entering old age.

When it comes to feeding our toddlers and babies, we certainly are very cautious of the foods we feed them. We often to resolve to foods we only know are baby products. But that should not be the case with goji berries because it’s like feeding our little kids with bananas or apples, only that goji berries contain lots of nutrients that aren’t present in those fruits. And the fact that it’s a bit exotic, we might be thinking that it’s not safe for our babies. It’s 100% safe but of course we also have to do some limitation.

Goji berries contain 18 amino acids including the eight amino acids, which make them very suitable for a protein-rich source. There are a host of trace minerals like zinc, iron, and calcium among the many others, which carry out important metabolic roles. And definitely, goji berries are also known for its immune-boosting property, another aspect that’s really important for children.

We can make a delicious smoothie with bananas, chocolates, and goji berries to quench their thirst while giving them good nourishment. Or we can mix some goji berries with their cereals to let them enjoy a healthier breakfast. And whenever they want to munch on something, give them dried goji berries instead of candies. That way we can make them a good health foundation that didn’t come late in their lives.

]]> http://www.gojiberriesblog.com/2010/04/26/why-its-never-early-to-start-with-goji-berries/feed/ 0 http://www.gojiberriesblog.com/2009/06/14/advantages-of-processing-entire-fruit-or-berry-into-a-juice-product/ http://www.gojiberriesblog.com/2009/06/14/advantages-of-processing-entire-fruit-or-berry-into-a-juice-product/#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:22:53 +0000 Goji Berries http://www.gojiberriesblog.com/2009/06/14/advantages-of-processing-entire-fruit-or-berry-into-a-juice-product/ Most juice products on the market today filter out the fruit or berry from their juice products.  There are advantages and disadvantages when doing this.  The advantages are that the microsolif particles are filtered out of the juice, making the liquid clearer and reducing the settling and separation from the filtered liquid.  This is more commercially viable, as the appearance of the final product has a more pristine appearance.  Also, the juice product doesn’t usually have to be stirred or shaken before consuming.  The ease and convenience of this practice if far more popular for sale to the mainstream user.

While filtering out the peel pulp and seed extracts is a more popular method, there are distinct advantages of atomizing the entire fruit or berry into the final product.  Much more of the fiber and other nutritional benefits are lost when the solid particles are filtered out of the juice.  For those more interested in getting the full benefits from a juice product, they should consider putting up a little inconvenience of stirring or gently shaking the bottle before taking.  After all, isn’t your health only as good as what you put in your diet?

Saturated fats found in streaked meat and high-fat dairy products are more likely to increase risk of breast cancer than unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds and avocados, plus olive and canola oils. Eat seven or more servings daily. The raw vegetables are more advantageous. However, note that all vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts, etc. cannot be taken raw as they contain oxalates, surplus of which can lead to gall stones. Never overcook vegetables; it will help preserve their benefits. There are several cancer fighting vegetables and fruits like apple, grapefruit, orange, kale, papaya, tofu and goji berries.