SuperFoods And
Healthy Kitchen Tips
by Susan Smith Jones

Let food be your medicine and medicine
be your food.

Hippocrates

• Bananas. Monkeys may even be wiser than we think. Perhaps they know that their favorite food – the curvaceous banana – is one of the most nutritious tropical fruits. Both ripe and unripe bananas benefit the body. Fiber from green, unripe bananas dramatically reduces the bad (LDL) cholesterol and increases the production of good (HDL) cholesterol by up to 30 percent, as reported in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (Effect of dietary fiber from banana on cholesterol metabolism. 22:550-554, 1984) The natural flavonoids in green unripe bananas and plantains have been used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers; bananas actually thicken the protective gastric mucosa. Do you have an upset stomach? Eat a ripe banana. This satisfying and stabilizing food soothes digestive disturbances such as constipation.

Bananas provide a wonderful source of readily available energy for young and old alike and may reduce fatigue. They also can help decrease the risk of stroke, relieve heartburn, prevent ulcers and speed recovery from diarrhea. Bananas are a good source for baby’s first food, especially because they are bland, easy to digest and unlikely to produce allergies. But if eating a banana is not for you, mash it up and spread it on your face like a facial mask. The pulp from the banana makes a wonderful skin cleanser and hydrator.

As the leading fresh fruit source of potassium, bananas are in good supply all year long. One medium banana contains close to 400 mg of potassium, a mineral that plays a role in lowering blood pressure. A study on 17,000 adults indicated that higher potassium levels are associated with lower blood pressure. Bananas also contain the amino acid tryptophan, which stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on the body.

With the possible exception of strawberries, no fresh fruit is higher in minerals than bananas. In addition to the high levels of potassium, a fresh banana also supplies 120 mg sulfur, 80 mg silicon, 33 mg of magnesium and 26 mg of phosphorus, along with ample amounts of copper, chromium, iron, fluoride, manganese, selenium and zinc. Its sodium is low at 1 mg.

Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B-6; a medium (4 ounce) banana provides 45 percent of the RDA. It also has 2 grams of dietary fiber, some of which is soluble fiber, instrumental in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Bananas contain about 100 calories each, mostly in the form of fruit sugar and starch. Keep ripe, peeled and frozen bananas available as they make the perfect ingredient for all kinds of blender smoothies. Frozen bananas thicken and sweeten a smoothie. (Visit: www.blendtec.com for the Total Blender – the one I use and recommend for any blending recipes: (800) 253-6383.)

• Grapes & Raisins. Grapes are now cultivated on six of the seven continents. Most of the 60 million tons grown worldwide annually are fermented to produce wine. Grapes are also made into juice, jams and spreads, used in cooking and eaten raw as a snack food.

Low in calories, grapes are favored for their sweet, juicy flavor. Another reason for eating these valuable beauties may be found in research on the disease-prevention role of bioflavonoids and other plant chemicals. Anthocyanins found in red and blue grapes have numerous health benefits including lowering heart disease and cancer risk. Grapes contain quercetin, a plant pigment that is thought to regulate the levels of blood cholesterol and also reduce the action of platelets, blood cells that are instrumental in forming clots. Some researchers theorize that it’s the quercetin that lowers the risk of heart attack among moderate wine drinkers. Grapes also contain ellagic acid thought to protect the lungs against environmental toxins. They also naturally contain salicylates, compounds similar to the major ingredient in aspirin. Salicylates have an anti-clotting effect and may account for the benefits of wine with respect to heart disease. (People who are allergic to aspirin may react to grapes and grape products.) The skin of grapes contains resveratrol, a phytochemical that is linked to a reduction of heart disease as well as a lowered risk of cancer or stroke.

Dieters and those with a slow metabolism will especially enjoy fresh squeezed grape juice because it stimulates metabolic rate. The flavonoids in grape juice are among the most powerful antioxidants around – maybe even better than vitamins C or E. In your body, flavonoids help prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing – the process that enables cholesterol to stick to your artery walls and create blockages. Grape juice is also a fair source of potassium, with 8 ounces providing about 335 mg. When in season, I buy pounds of organically grown red or purple grapes, juice them and freeze the liquid into cubes that I drop into my water, teas or other fresh fruit juices. I also freeze washed seedless grapes whole; they make a wonderful treat on hot summer days.

To reap the full benefit of grapes, it is best to select red or purple varieties which seem to contain the highest concentration of healthful compounds. When purchasing grapes, go for organic, if possible. Commercially grown grapes are usually sprayed with pesticides and are treated with sulfur dioxide to preserve their color and extend shelf life; they should always be washed well before being eaten.

Raisins or dried grapes, can help improve digestion and keep blood healthy. If you have high blood pressure – or even if you don’t, but you want to make sure your pressure stays in a healthy range – raisins are one of the best snacks you can buy because of their high level of potassium – 1,090 mg of potassium in a cup. Raisins are a highly concentrated source of other nutrients and calories; a cup contains a whopping 440 calories while providing 3 g of iron and 6 g of fiber. It takes about 4 1/2 pounds of fresh grapes to produce 1 pound of raisins.

• Peppermint. In ancient Greece, people chewed a sprig of mint after feasts to settle the stomach, a tradition that evolved into our after-dinner mints. Peppermint leaves have been used to ease headaches and aid digestion for more than 2,000 years.

Today, peppermint oil is a key ingredient in decongestants and in remedies for irritable bowel syndrome. In one study, people with IBS who took peppermint capsules were able to eliminate all or most of their symptoms. Peppermint tea is also effective.

In another study, German researchers gave 118 adults with persistent indigestion a standard drug (cisapride) or twice-daily capsules of enteric-coated peppermint oil (90 mg) and caraway oil (50 mg), another traditional stomach soother. (The enteric coating allows the capsules to survive stomach acid and release their oil in the small intestine, where non-heartburn indigestion develops.) Four weeks later, the drug and the herb blend produced the same relief.

If you use herbal oils, do not exceed the recommended dose and keep them away from children. Of course, you also can brew a peppermint tea. When I get indigestion, I go to the garden, pick some peppermint, chew some leaves and make tea. It works well for me. I often put one or two leaves of peppermint into my teas of other herbs, especially those that are more medicinal and don’t have the best aroma or taste.

Peppermint can overwhelm more subtle flavors, but the leaves make a tasty garnish for desserts made with chocolate or carob.

• Juvo Natural Raw Meal. Juvo is a low-fat, low calorie, all-natural raw meal designed to fuel all lifestyles. Nutritionally balanced and rich in healthful ingredients, Juvo can help jumpstart your metabolism, boost your energy, strengthen your immunity, cleanse your system and improve your overall health and vitality. As you know by now, if you’re familiar with this series of articles on healthy foods, cooking and processing destroys vitamins, minerals, enzymes, dietary fibers, phytonutrients and chlorophyll. This unique product contains over 30 nutritious ingredients, from whole grains, vegetables and sea vegetables to mushrooms and absolutely nothing artificial; it’s non-GMO, vegan-friendly and dairy-free.

Freeze drying costs more than other preservation methods, but it’s the best way to retain nutritional properties, flavors and colors. What could be more convenient? Each easy-to-carry single-serve pouch is perfect for those on the go and living busy and often stressful lifestyles. Each pouch is airtight and waterproof and remains tasty and nutritious for up to two years of storage.

So how do you use Juvo? Just mix the full contents of a pouch (or less if desired) with your favorite beverage for a delicious, healthy complete meal! Not only do I mix it with water, juice, herb teas and a variety of nut and seed milks, I also mix or blend the powder with some other recipes such as hummus, vegetable dips, smoothies and sauces. Visit www.gojuvo.com or call (800) 558-JUVO.

© Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D.

Susan Smith Jones, MS, PhD is an internationally renowned motivational speaker, frequent radio/TV talk show guest, culinary instructor, author of hundreds of magazine articles and 15 books, including her latest, Unleash the Power of NATUREFOODS: 50 Revitalizing Foods that Heal Your Body, Promote Radiant Health & Rejuvenate Your Life. In the past 35 years, Susan has assisted thousands of people in becoming more aware of how their food and lifestyle choices affect their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. To order autographed copies of NATUREFOODS, please call (800) 253-6383 (MT) or visit www.susansmithjones.com