Fruits

Cantaloupe

Only a quarter of cantaloupe provides almost all the vitamin A needed in one day. Since the beta-carotene in a cantaloupe converts to vitamin A, you get both nutrients at once. These vision-strengthening nutrients may help reduce the risk of developing cataracts. Like an orange, cantaloupe is also an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps our immune system. It is also is a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, folate, niacin, and potassium, which helps maintain good blood sugar levels and metabolism. This pale orange power fruit may help reduce our risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Blueberries

These mildly sweet (and sometimes tangy) berries offer a high capacity to destroy free radicals that can cause cancer. Low in calories, they offer antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, which enhance the effects of vitamin C. These antioxidants may help prevent cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer.

Vegetables

3: Tomatoes

Tomatoes help us fight against heart disease and cancers such as colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and cancer of the pancreas. Tomatoes are also good sources of vitamin C, A, and K. In a 2004 study, it was found that tomato juice alone can help reduce blood clotting.

Fresh, organic tomatoes deliver three times as much of the cancer-fighting carotenoid lycopene. Even organic ketchup is better for you than regular ketchup! Look for tomato pastes and sauces that contain the whole tomato (including peels) because you will absorb 75% more lycopene and almost two times the amount of beta-carotene.

4: Sweet Potatoes

As an excellent source of vitamin A, C, and manganese, sweet potatoes are also a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. Those who are smokers or prone to second-hand smoke may benefit greatly from this root vegetable that helps protect us against emphysema.

For a unique dessert, cube a cooked sweet potato and slice a banana. Then lightly pour maple syrup over the top and add a dash or two of cinnamon. Add chopped walnuts for an even healthier kick.

5: Spinach and Kale

A cancer-fighter and cardio-helper, spinach and kale top the list as far as green leafy vegetables are concerned. Much like broccoli, they provide an excellent source of vitamin A and C. Kale is a surprisingly good source of calcium at 25% per cup, boiled. Vitamin K is abundantly found in spinach as well, with almost 200% of the Daily Value available, to help reduce bone loss.

Whole Grains

6: Whole Grain Bread, Pasta and Brown Rice

Whether it’s bread or pasta, the first thing to check for when purchasing whole grain bread and pasta is to make sure it is 100% whole grain. Remember to check the list of ingredients on the package. For example, look for the exact phrase “whole wheat flour” as one of the first ingredients listed in whole wheat bread. If it’s not listed as such, then it’s not whole grain. Wheat bran is a cancer-fighting grain that also helps us regulate our bowel movements.

Brown rice is also a better choice than refined grain (white rice) for the same reason as choosing whole wheat bread. Whole wheat flour or brown rice that turns into white flour or white rice actually destroys between 50-90% of vitamin B3, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, manganese, phosphorus, iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids we need. Even when processed white flour or white rice is “enriched,” it is not in the same form as the original unprocessed kind. In fact, 11 nutrients are actually lost and are not replaced during the “enrichment” process!

Nuts

7: Walnuts

These nuts are packed with omega-3 fats, which is one of the “good” fats. A quarter cup of walnuts would take care of about 90% of the omega-3s needed in one day. Walnuts provide many health benefits including cardiovascular protection, better cognitive function, anti-inflammatory advantages relating to asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis. They can even help against cancer and also support the immune system.

Beans and Legumes

8: Black Beans and Lentils

While black beans are a good source of fiber that can lower cholesterol, so are lentils. The high fiber content in both black beans and lentils helps to maintain blood sugar levels. Also a fat-free, high quality protein with additional minerals and B-vitamins, black beans and lentils fill you up and don’t expand your waistline.

A complete, one-stop source of using a variety of beans and lentils comes easy when you can find a bag of 15-bean mix (includes black beans, lentils, navy, pinto, red, kidney, etc.) at the grocery store. Consider making a delicious soup with the addition of tomatoes, onions, garlic and your favorite spices with this bean mixture.

Dairy

9: Skim Milk and Yogurt

Skim milk (or low-fat) helps to promote strong bones, offering an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K. These nutrients help protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, bone loss, migraine headaches, premenstrual symptoms, and childhood obesity. Recent studies also show that overweight adults lose weight, especially around the midsection, when consuming low-fat dairy such as skim milk and yogurt.

Yogurt also includes the essential nutrients such as phosphorous and vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin B5, zinc, potassium, and protein. Yogurt’s live bacterial cultures also provide a wealth of health benefits that may help us live longer and strengthen our immune system.

Seafood

10: Salmon

Salmon is high in protein, low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fats (the essential fatty acids that are also found in those walnuts mentioned earlier). Salmon is a heart-healthy food and is recommended to eat at least twice a week. When choosing salmon, it’s best to stay away from farm raised and select wild instead. Research studies show that farmed salmon may cause cancer because it may carry high levels of carcinogenic chemicals known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Other

Green Tea and “Power” Water

Although not food per say, the health benefits of these beverages are worthy of mentioning.

Green tea has beneficial phytonutrients and lower levels of caffeine than all other teas. The more research studying green tea, the more health benefits are found. A cancer fighter as well, green tea has antioxidant effects that lower risks of bacterial or viral infections to cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, periodontal disease, and osteoporosis.

Water packed with vitamins and/or naturally sweetened fruit are also the newest trend. Some offer a full day’s supply of vitamin C while others promise no artificial sweeteners with a full, fruity taste.

As you can see, the top ten super foods are worth every bite (or sip). Now that you know which foods can help save your life, what’s more important than investing in your health?

Chardonnay is commonly ordered as a type of wine from bars and restaurants but it is in fact the name of the most popular and possibly the most versatile grape in the world.

Almost all white Burgundy from Bourgogne Blanc to Chablis is made from 100% chardonnay grapes. The Chardonnay grape is also the mainstay in many types of champagne and is now even being used in Spain to make Cava.

The Chardonnay grape is so popular because it is easy to grow – that is probably why it is championed by so many grape producers. It can also be crafted into many different types of wines. Perhaps it is also so popular because it has little indigenous character of its own and instead displays the characteristics of the soil and climate where it is grown. Chardonnay has a propensity for acid and glycerine which is responsible for giving it a velvety texture – this is what is important in this type of grape. It is this texture which makes it so versatile when it comes to producing wine. It can be crafted into fresh lemony unoaked wine or aged in barrels to produce wine for a much richer palate. It is often seen as a cheap wine that is not worth trying but remember these grapes are used in top quality Chablis and Champagne, so don’t dismiss this grape and wine out of hand.

Chardonnay now comes in a host of different styles – gone are the days when all the bottles were heavily oaked, there is a chardonnay suitable for every palate and pocket and because of the versatility of the grape from almost every wine producing country in the world.

So which are the types of Chardonnay to look out for? What do they taste like? Here are a couple of generalisations to get you on your way. Of course the best way to find out which one is your favourite is to get your glass out and start tasting your way around a few of the bottles!

France produces a ream of different Chardonnays. For pure unoaked Chardonnay look for a Chablis labelled unoaked. This is great with fish as it is delicate and unobtrusive. For a clean flavoured wine with a subtle fruit aroma look to the Meursault and Montrachet regions

California produces wines that work well with grilled seasoned foods. The Napa valley produces great oaky fruity wines which are ideal for outdoor eating and drinking. For an even fruitier riper flavour try something from the Santa Barbara region, these highly flavoured wines will even taste great with grilled meats.

For a Chardonnay that is intensely flavoured and almost best drunk without food head to Australia and try something from the Hunter Valley. This tropically flavoured wine is great chilled and shared with a friend.

There are so many different types of Chardonnay from so many different countries that you are bound to find something to suit your palate. So what are you waiting for?

*Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.

*Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.

*The pilgrims arrived in North America in December 1620.

*The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach North America.

*The pilgrims sailed on the ship, which was known by the name of ‘Mayflower’.

*The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.

*The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was beer.

*By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.
They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

*The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford organized the Thanksgiving feast and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.

*The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.

* At the first harvest celebration with the pilgrims and Native Americans, “fowl” was eaten. While this might have been turkey, it’s more likely to have been geese and ducks.

* A mature turkey has 3,500 feathers. Turkey feather were used by Native Americans to stabilize arrows.

* Turkeys have lived in North America for 10 million years

*There was no milk, cheese, bread, butter or pumpkin pie at the original Thanksgiving Day feast.

*The cranberry got its name because the pale pink blossoms on the plant resembled a crane’s head and neck. The name craneberry stuck, eventually becoming cranberry.

*Ben Franklin liked the Turkey so much he wanted it to be the official bird of the US.

*A male turkey is called a (tom). The female is called a (hen). The babies are called poults.

*Only male (tom) turkeys gobble. Females (hen) make a clicking noise. The famous gobble is actually a seasonal mating call.

* A tom’s gobble can be heard a mile away.

*A hen lays around 115 eggs a month which take about 28 days to hatch.

*Turkeys are known to spend the night in trees!

*Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys however, can run 20 miles per hour and fly up to 55 miles per hour.

*Turkeys can drown if they look up when it’s raining!

*A group of turkeys is called a flock.

*Currently over 670 million turkeys are eaten at Thanksgiving.

*A turkey under 16 weeks of age is called a fryer. A five to seven month old turkey is called a roaster.

*The largest turkey on record was 86 pounds.

*The average person consumes 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day.

Here are some tips to take the stress out of cooking, whether you are stirring up supper for your mate or hoping to impress the new in laws

Dinners in a Bag

Make these dinner bags involving glorious aluminum foil and write on them,

25 minutes at 425 F, for example, with a marker pen. Even though Jools didn t like cooking, she never had a problem with cooking the bags. I just program the Favorites Cycle, in your  microwave . Here s just one version, but feel free to vary the recipe with things like grated parsnip, smoked bacon or red wine.

Chicken Breasts Baked in a Bag

Serves two

2 7 ounce skinless chicken breasts

1 handful of dried porcini

9 ounces of mixed mushrooms, torn up

1 large wineglass of white wine

3 large pats of butter

1 handful of fresh thyme

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

Using wide aluminum foil, make your bag by placing two pieces on top of each other about as big as two shoeboxes in length, folding three sides in and leaving one side open. Mix everything together in a bowl, including the chicken. Place in your bag, with all the wine, making sure you do not pierce the foil. Close up the final edge, making sure it is tightly sealed and secure on the sides, and slide it onto a roasting pan. Place the pan on a high heat for one minute to get the heat going, and then bake in the middle of a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Bare Bones Cooking Techniques

If you invited friends to come round but they are running late, pop up to four plates of food in the separate warming oven. Your glorious food not only stays warm, but also keeps the kitchen smelling wonderful until they walk in the door.

If your side dish is ready but you still have other things to cook, just slide the pot onto the middle of the cook top. The warming zone there acts like a fifth burner, keeping it warm and freeing up the other burners so you can finish cooking.

Additional health benefits of rooibos include far lower tannin levels compared to fully oxidized black tea or un-oxidized green tea leaves. This tea also contains a number of phenolic compounds, such as flavanols, flavones, flavanones, and dihydrochalcones. Rooibos is known to assist with a wide range of health problems, including nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. In Africa the tea is used medicinally to treat symptoms ranging from infantile colic to allergies, asthma and dermatological problems.

As rooibos gains popularity in the United States, a number of varieties can be found ? all offering excellent health benefits, with antioxidant properties which are up to five times more powerful than green tea. With a number of rooibos blends to choose from, it can be daunting for consumers to know which ones offer the most benefits ? let alone which blends are best for your lifestyle and needs.

Here are a few tips to help you choose a rooibos blend that suits your needs:

? Problem:

You are feeling tired and sickly, with low energy levels and decreased immunity

One of the most important benefits of South African tea such as rooibos is its powerful antioxidant properties, which increase immunity and boost energy levels naturally without the need for caffeine. Drinking rooibos that is infused with a powerful immune booster such as sutherlandia will boost your immune levels, elevate moods and increase energy levels to help you feel revived and healthy ? especially after a bout of flu or a particularly stressful day. Blends that contain Buchu Agathosma Betulina are also ideal as this herb is a natural detoxifier, giving your body the boost it needs to get back on track.

? Problem:

You are feeling overweight, bloated and drained, and want to kick-start your health

On its own, rooibos tea contains powerful nutrients for overall revitalisation and wellbeing; however rooibos that has been infused with Hoodia are also able to help you naturally lose excess weight. This feel good plant comes from a cactus grown in the Kalahari Desert, and was used by the San tribes for centuries to stem hunger and thirst during hunting expeditions in the vast desert. It is 100% natural and safe, plus Hoodia acts as a gentle appetite suppressant and energy booster. Buchu infusions are also ideal for their detoxification effects, aiding a range of ailments such as colds to flu, rheumatism, gout and high blood pressure plus it also relieves indigestion, stomach complaints, nausea and hangovers.

? Problem:

You are feeling stressed and anxious, and need to restore inner peace and serenity

The lack of caffeine in rooibos has made it a popular bed time tea drink for South Africans for many years, and with the additional power of Sceletium infusion, this blend is ideal for combating stress and anxiety. Sceletium has key mood altering phytochemical mesembrines that interact with dopamine and serotonin receptors in the brain, resulting in calming effects on the central nervous system. The rooibos and Sceletium blend is therefore ideal to treat anxiety, and has the added benefit of being a natural appetite suppressant which makes it an ideal weight loss tool in addition to its calming benefits.

For long-lasting health benefits and increased energy, look out for South African teas that best suit your individual needs and requirements.