More than just a means of warding off vampires or other evil spirits, garlic is a powerhouse nutrient with many health benefits. Though garlic has been used as a health remedy by Greek, Roman and Egyptian cultures, was mentioned in the Bible and the Talmud, and has been integral in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, scientists have finally determined what makes garlic such a powerful antioxidant. The compound that gives garlic its aroma and flavor, known as allicin, may well be the world’s most powerful antioxidant, capable of effectively trapping free radicals even better than Vitamin E coQ10 or [Read More]

You may have seen the recent headlines proclaiming that eating red meat can reduce your lifespan by 20%. If you read the previous newsletter on hormones, antibiotics and pesticides in meat, it’s not a great leap to imagine that a diet heavy in such foods could have a health impact. Closer review of the headline reveals that the 20% reduction being broadcast is for a diet heavy in processed meats, such as ham, bologna, salami, hot dogs: typical luncheon meats. We learned in the prior newsletter that these foods also contain sodium nitrate, a proven carcinogen, or cancer-causing ingredient. So [Read More]

Recently we looked at buying the best produce and learned when you really should splurge on organic and when you can save some pennies and buy conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. Knowing you can save some money if you so choose is always good information to have, even if it is a downer to have to talk about pesticides being present on the healthy fruits and vegetables we are trying to eat more of. Most of us probably remember several years ago when the news broke that a chemical that was added to microwave popcorn caused lung damage in the [Read More]

With all the focus recently on pink-slime and ammonia and the health impact of red meat, we’ve been talking much more than usual about meat these past few months. Today I’d like to talk about a fantastic non-meat protein source that has been a staple in my home for years: quinoa. Pronounced keen-wah, quinoa is gaining attention for several important reasons: it is a complete protein source that can be a big help to vegetarians looking to eat a balanced diet; it’s a great alternative for those looking to cut back on meat but still ingest protein; it’s a delicious [Read More]

In Mario Puzo’s acclaimed best seller, The Godfather, Vito Corleone runs his illegal operations under the cover of his olive oil importing business, Genco Pura Olive Oil. The business may appear to be a legitimate importing company serving as a front for his other activities, but Mario Puzo based his character on a real-life mafia Joe Profaci, known as the Olive Oil King. For centuries, olive oil has been a prized commodity, traded in some cultures as currency and guarded fiercely by the many including the Romans. But more recently, olive oil has become the business of choice for the [Read More]