Christmas Foods to Remember

If you're planning any kind of family Christmas or Yuletide celebration this year, especially if you're hosting the event. Or even if you're thinking of what you need to do in terms of preparing food for a family gathering then now, the beginning of November, is where you need to begin your cooking. Many Christmas cakes and confectionaries need to be prepared well in advance so that they can be allowed time to mature. This is particularly the case with rich fruit based cakes and puddings such as Christmas Cake, Twelfth Night Cake and Christmas Puddings. Even Stollens are better if stored for a week or two before consumption.

With that in mind, and to help you with your festive planning here are some classic Christmas recipes for you. This first is for the traditional Twelfth Nigh cake, which is typically served at Epiphany, or the Twelfth Nigh but which can also double as a rich Christmas cake:

Twelfth Night Cake

Ingredients:

350g butter
350g caster sugar
6 eggs, beaten
75ml brandy
350g plain flour
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
700g mixed dried fruit
50g blanched almonds, chopped
45g apricot conserve or apricot jam
900g almond paste (or marzipan)
4 egg whites
900g icing sugar
3 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp glycerine
glacé fruit, candied angelica and silver balls, to decorate

Method:

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition then add the brandy. Fold-in the flour, spices, fruit and nuts. Grease a deep 25cm cake tin and line the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper. Tip the cake mixture into this and tap to remove any trapped air. Place the cake in an oven pre-heated to 150°C and bake for about 2.5 hours, or until the cake is firm to the touch. If the top of the cake darkens too quickly cover with a sheet of folded greaseproof paper about half-way through the cooking. Remove the cake from the oven, allow to cool in its tin for 30 minutes then tip onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Once cold cover the surface of the cake with the apricot preserve or apricot jam. Roll out the almond paste and cut just enough of the paste to go around the side of the cake. Then roll the remainder of the paste out and use to cover the top of the cake. Allow the cake to set for at least two days then prepare the icing by lightly beating the egg whites and incorporating the icing sugar into this to form a stiff paste. Add the lemon juice and glycerine and incorporate well. Then, using a palette knife spread the icing all the way around the sides and top of the cake. Place in a tin and allow to set for at least two days. When ready form a crescent of the candied fruit and anjelica on top of the cake and decorate with the silver balls.

The next recipe is a 'twist' on the classic Christmas pudding that I call the 'Roman Christmas Pudding'. It's a traditional rich Christmas pudding but made with ingredients that the Romans would have had to hand. It also uses the classic Roman combination of fish sauce and pepper in desserts. This has been so successful a recipe that I have to make it for the family every year now!

'Roman' Christmas Pudding

Ingredients:

70g dried sour cherries
70g dried cranberries (The Romans would have used elderberries but a mix of blueberries and cranberries provides the same basic flavour)
70g dried blueberries
100g chopped dried figs (roughly chop into cubes)
70g chopped dried dates
70g chopped semi-dried prunes
70g chopped dried papaya (the Romans would have used something similar to candied oranges but papaya provides a nice flavour and a chewy texture)
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
120g dried currants
60g self-raising flour
70g dried almonds
100g roughly-chopped nuts (the choice of nuts is up to you but a mix of almonds, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecan nuts and walnuts works well)
140g fresh breadcrumbs
100g shredded suet (beef gives a better flavour but vegetarian works just as well)
120g dark brown sugar (demarara preferably)
1 small cooking apple, grated
Juice and rind of 1 orange, 1 lemon and 1 lime
Juice of 1 further lime
50ml oatmeal stout
5 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Defritum
2 tbsp Liquamen
3 tbsp Passum (use this to be 'authentic' I would normally use 2 tbsp Madeira and 1-2 tbsp brandy or cognac)
3 eggs
1 piece (about 2cm cube) stem ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp ground pepper
1 level tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ freshly-grated nutmeg

Method:

The evening before prepare all the dried fruit and add to a large mixing bowl along with the citrus juice and peel, the pomegranate seeds, the honey, defritum, liquamen and passum (if used). Cover with a towel and leave to stand over night so the fruit absorbs the liquid and plumps up.

The following morning, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Allow to stand for an hour or so and mix again. Meanwhile prepare your steamer and grease some pudding bowls (there should be enough mixture here to make 3 600ml puddings) and spoon in the pudding mixture. Cover the pudding bowls with foil and steam for five hours each (Remember to keep checking the water level in your steamer). Once done allow to cool and store until needed (each pudding should keep for at least six weeks in a cool place).

When you are ready to serve the pudding steam for four hours in a steamer until thoroughly cooked through. Once done turn out onto a serving plate (the pudding should slip out of its bowl quite easily). Serve with a white sauce (a classical cornflour-based white sauce could be used, but if you want a more 'authentic' Roman sauce use the flour-based one described below).

To prepare a flour-based white sauce heat 40g of butter in a sauce pan. Once the butter has melted add 2 heaped tablespoons of finely-milled flour to the butter. Turn down the heat and mix the flour into the butter until it forms a smooth, lump-less paste. Keep stirring for a minute or so to begin cooking-out the flour flavour. Now take cold milk and add about 20ml to the roux. Mix until this is a smooth paste. Then add another 100ml of milk and again mix to a smooth paste. Add another 50-80ml of milk, again mixing to a smooth paste. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. If needed turn down the heat until the mixture is quite thick. Take off the heat, add some 2-3 tbsp of brandy or cognac to thin. Grate a little nutmeg on the top and serve with the pudding.

You now have two classic Christmas recipes to make and enjoy. If you want more Christmas and family recipes then why not visit my site:

Dyfed Lloyd Evans is a cook and an internet marketer. All his recipes can be found at the Celtnet Recipes site an ever growing list of global recipes and recipe-associated information. To help with the Christmas celebrations he has now pulled all his seasonal recipes together into the Celtnet Christmas Recipes page where you will find Christmas and Midwinter recipes from ancient times to the modern day. Everything you need for a successful culinary Christmas in one place. If you want the original for my Roman Christmas Pudding then that is also avaialble.

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Sweets and Candies For Christmas

There is a long and distinguished tradition of preparing home-made sweets and candies, especially chocolate-based candies for Christmas. These candies can be used as after-dinner treats to accompany coffee they can also be used as treats for children.

However, in these times of economic uncertainty home-made chocolate candies can be wonderful gifts. Indeed, if you choose the right kinds of chocolate and the correct fillings they can be much richer and healthier than shop-bought candies.

Here I present two classic Christmas candies. The first designed as a 'fancy' or a sweet used at the table whereas the second is intended to be produced on a large scale as a gift.

Christmas Pudding Truffles

Ingredients:
175g digestive biscuit (Graham cracker) crumbs
50g dried fruit (eg apples, dates, figs, raisins, currants, sultanas), chopped
50g toasted mixed nuts, chopped
50g ground almonds
50g raspberry or blackcurrant jam
grated zest of
1 orange
brandy or dark rum, to taste
white marzipan
candied angelica (or green cherries)
glacé cherries
icing sugar
dark chocolate or cocoa powder

Method:
Mix the biscuit crumbs, dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds, jam and orange zest in a large bowl. Add enough of the rum to form a stiff mixture. Form this mix into walnut-sized balls and lightly coat in cocoa powder, or dip in melted chocolate and allow to set.

Decorate the top with a small piece of white marzipan to resemble icing and add glacé cherries and angelica to resemble holly berries and leaves.

Chocolate Truffles

240ml double cream
300g dark (at least 70% cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter
500g dark (at least 70% cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped (for coating)

Method:
In a heavy pan, bring the cream to a simmer (a microwave and a glass bowl is just as good for this). Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter. (The smaller they are cut up, the easier this will be.) Once the chocolate has been incorporated, allow to cool and refrigerate until firmly set, stirring now and then. In the refrigerator compartment (this will take about 4 hours). Use the freezer and you can cut that down to under an hour, but with much more frequent stirring.

Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out a tablespoon or so of chocolate and use your hands to form balls about 2 to 3 cm in diameter. Spread them on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour. While the balls are freezing, chop and carefully heat, in a bain-marie (double boiler) or heavy pot, the chocolate for the coating. Stir until melted. Allow to slowly cool until it feels just warm to your skin. The object is to have it just above the melting point so that when the frozen chocolate balls are dipped in it, they gather and congeal a thickish coating around them.

When the centers of the chocolate balls are frozen and the molten chocolate is ready, take each ball and drop it into the coating, roll it quickly about, then remove it with the tines of two forks and drop it onto a sheet of wax paper. If the coating thickens too much, reheat it a little, perhaps using a microwave.

When all the truffles are dipped, you can serve them right away. If they will be stored or transported, refrigerate them a while longer first.

Dyfed Lloyd Evans is the creator of the Celtnet Recipes website where you can find hundreds more recipes for sweets and candies as well as a selection of recipes for Christmas foods that range all the way from ancient times to the modern day.

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Top 7 Fruits For Acne Free Skin - Cure Acne at Home

Do you love fruit? Do you currently suffer from acne? You might believe that fruit is bad for you because it contains so much sugar. Some fruits contain a lot of sugar while most do not. Also, most fruit is low on the gycemic index. Eating foods low on the glycemic index is one of the tricks to having glowing skin.

In this article I will briefly discuss 7 fruits that promote clear skin meaning you can eat a good amount of them. Some of the fruits we treat as vegetables, but they are technically fruits because they contain seeds.

Fruits 1-3) Tomato, Cucumber, Bell Pepper

All 3 of these fruits contain the beauty mineral silicon in there skin. So, if you wish to get the full benefits, you must leave the skin on. They are all low on the gylcemic index and are anti-inflammatory.

Fruits 4) Avocado

Avocados are moderately anti-inflammatory, low on the gylcemic index, high in fiber, contain all essential amino acids, contain antioxidants to help prevent free radical damage such as vitamin E and A, and much more.

Fruit 5) Blueberries

I used to hate blueberries, but I now love them to death. Blueberries are low on the gylcemic index and are extremely rich in antioxidants. This will help prevent free radical damage to your cells; a major cause of acne.

Fruit 6) Papaya

Papaya has a unique enzyme that is more present in papayas that are not full ripened. Your skin begs for enzymes on a daily basis. Papayas also contain beautifying minerals and are loaded with the beautifying vitamins A and C.

Fruit 7) Figs

Figs are a dried fruit, but possibly the healthiest dried fruit. They are low on the glycemic index and are mineral rich making them an alkalizing food. One of the keys to glowing, radiant skin is balancing your pH level. Figs will help you do that.

Eating a few of the above foods consistently in your diet will without a doubt put you in the right direction towards acne free skin and begin to heal your acne. For best results, live a healthy lifestyle in all areas of health by looking past just your diet.

Discover exactly how to obtain acne free skin by clicking on the following link:

http://live-your-life-acne-free.com

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Roast Butternut Squash And Ricotta Lasagna With Walnut and Sage Butter Sauce

There are many rich and delightful homemade lasagna dishes but this is perfect for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The combination of pumpkin, walnut and fresh sage is a triumph! However the pasta needs to be thin to cook, if you prefer it thicker then boil the pasta for one minute before layering. Or use sheets of fresh lasagna from the supermarket.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 Spanish onion
1/2 kilo of beefy Italian tomatoes
balsamic vinegar
2 kg organic butternut peeled & cut into pieces
6 cloves of garlic
8 Ounces (240g) packet frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed to remove excess
500g ricotta
3 cups of freshly grated Parmesan
250gm natural Greek yogurt
3 organic eggs
Olive oil
Dried chili flakes
Freshly grated nutmeg
A large bunch of fresh purple sage leaves

Lasagna
Fresh lasagna sheets
500g strong flour
5 large organic eggs
Kosher salt

To Make the walnut and sage butter
180 g butter
150 g chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6

To make the pasta

On your kitchen worktop, pour the sifted flour and make a well in the centre and add the eggs and salt. Gradually incorporate the eggs into the flour with your fingers. When the dough starts to come together sprinkle some more flour over the work area and knead the dough until you it becomes smooth and elastic. There is no right or wrong way to do this just keep working the dough towards the centre with your hands. Do not be gentle with it you are trying to get the gluten working. Cover the ready dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for ten minutes. Take pieces of dough like a golf ball and roll out on a pasta machine at least five times ending with thin pasta.

To make the filling

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and saute the onion for five minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and stir for five minutes until thickened. Add a tablespoon of red wine balsamic vinegar. Place the chopped pumpkin and whole cloves of garlic in a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil, season with the sea salt, dried chili flakes, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg. Roast for about twenty minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Roughly mash the lasagna and garlic with half of the sage leaves chopped. Whisk the ricotta, yogurt, Parmesan and eggs. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Lightly oil a lasagna tray and then place the tomato sauce on the bottom, and place a layer of the lasagna sheets over the base and spread with half the pumpkin. Add another layer of lasagna sheets and spread with half the ricotta yogurt and spinach. Repeat process and sprinkle the final layer of ricotta mix with extra Parmesan. Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Then uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden.

Walnut & sage butter sauce

Gently heat the butter, chopped walnuts and fresh sage leaves until the butter starts to foam. Serve separately so that each person can drizzle it over their pasta dish. Serve with extra bowls of cheese.

Italian food is simple elegant and fabulous, it makes the most of the freshest ingredients. Italians don't ask how much food is they ask how fresh it is. The concept of a weekly shop is alien to them, their fruit and vegetables are bought every day. The fantastic thing about Italian food is the fact that they have no such thing; Italy was a separate conglomeration of states until 1870.

Each area has its own cuisine and that cuisine has been forged by Centuries of geographical area and history. For instance the food in the North West bears a closer relationship to mid European food because it was influenced by its neighbour the Austro- Hungarian empire. In the South the flavours of the Mediterranean prevail, the olive oils, the fresh and dried fruit influenced by the Moors, the tomatoes brought from the New World.

Read my introduction to Italian food and peruse the general recipes, then follow the links to the tastes of Tuscany, Lombardy and the tastes of Sicily. Italian food is the ultimate comfort food celebrating the family, family life and family celebrations with a passion for food.

Because Italian food celebrates the magnificence of the food and not the chef it is easy to recreate at home. Generally it is fast and flavorsome, you can have home made pasta dish on the table in half an hour even if you have made the pasta yourself.

Antipasti, Lasagna, Chicken Saltimboca, Italian Meatloaf, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, Zuppa di Pesce, Sole Florentine, Italian Meatloaf, Braised Artichokes, Zucchini Parmesan, and Ricotta Easter Pie are all described so vividly that you can taste them before you make them.

Feel free to reprint any of my articles simply use a citation. Thanks Auntie Katkat.

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Diets Galore - Fruitarian

The term fruitarian is not in many older dictionaries. This article will explain what a fruitarian is and talk about some of the criticisms and positive aspects of the fruitarian diet.

Depending on who you talk to a fruitarian eats anywhere from 50 - 100% raw fruit. Fruit comes in sweet, acid and non-sweet packages. All fruit has one thing in common. It is the reproductive part a plant. Usually we consider a fruit a fleshy outer package with seeds inside. A strict interpretation would also include grains, nuts, and seeds of all kinds.

Fruitarians eat a high percentage of fruit of all kinds plus succulent vegetables, and leaves. The Genesis 1:29 diet is a fruitarian diet. Most people think of fruit as something that comes off trees, but tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and many other garden plants are fruits. By eating a variety of fruits with some green leafy vegetables a fruitarian can receive more than adequate nutrition. Most fruitarians include root vegetables in their diets.

My personal diet usually consists of about 75% raw fruit, and 25% raw or cooked vegetables and other plant based foods.

If I eat breakfast, it us usually some kind of sweet or semi-acid to acid fruit, like banana, apple, grapes, oranges or grapefruit. When I can afford it or when it is in season I sometimes have watermelon or cantaloupe for breakfast.

My noon meal is usually my breakfast and the above is usually what I would eat. I would pick one of the above or some other fruit that is in season.

If I have a snack it is usually raw or dried fruit.

My evening meal will usually consist of a salad with non-starchy fruit such as sweet bell pepper, tomato, or cucumber, along with a few sunflower seeds or some nuts. If I were having cooked potatoes or squash after the salad I would leave off the nuts and seeds.

Why eat fruit.

Fruit is what our bodies were designed for. Very little has to be done to fruit for our bodies to assimilate the food value. Our primary nutritional need is for energy. Fruit supplies the energy we need in a form that is ready to be assimilated as is without any modification by the body. This great benefit is also the cause of some of the criticisms to eating fruit, which I will discuss further down.

The protein is in the form of amino acids so our body does not have to brake the protein down into amino acids before we can use it, as it does with animal products and some other plant foods.

The sugars are in a form our body can use as is. That is why they do not cause any sluggishness that often comes from complex carbohydrates like potatoes. All the other nutrients in fruit (other than Starchy fruits like squash) are ready to be used as is, with no further processing by the body.

Fruit is known as a cleansing food, largely because of its ease of digestion. It requires very little energy to assimilate.

Criticism;

Fruit has too much sugar.

Answer;

Most long term fruitarians I have talked to eat a significant amount of non sweet fruits to control the amount of sugar they take in. To my knowledge no one who has lived his or her entire life on a fruitarian diet has ever gotten diabetes, because of the fruit sugar. Diabetes is caused by many factors but refined sugar is at the heart of the issue, along with too much protein in the diet. On the other hand many have recovered from diabetes by adopting the fruitarian diet.

Criticism;

It is not satisfying.

Answer;

I find that much of the dissatisfaction comes from other lifestyle factors that encourage or prompt unnatural cravings. Things like seeing an ad on the TV can trigger a craving that is very hard to overcome, even when you are already stuffed with too much food.

Criticism;

I get sick if I eat too much fruit.

Answer;

This is common but you need to understand what is happening. When you eat fruit your body gets a reprieve from the bulk of the digestion process. This frees up a great deal of energy for cleaning your internal house. Your body will start dumping toxins that it has stored for many months or even years.

This housecleaning can be frustrating. It can be confusing. If you don't understand what is going on you can easily assume that it is a bad thing. The truth is that you need to get rid of the toxins. Once you have the toxins out, your body will stop the unpleasant symptoms. You should be thankful that your body has enough vitality to dump the trash.

Criticism;

I get too hungry on just fruit.

Answer;

More frequent small meals of fruit during the day may help you overcome the cravings.
When I work ad a job I have fruit for my brakes as well as my lunch. I never have cravings during the workday unless I am working with food and the sight of it is at the root of the cravings. It is easy to over eat. My best advice is to limit the variety, and eat until you are content. Mono meals tend to satisfy more than a variety of foods at a given meal.

Another thing you can do is carry some dried fruit, in your pocket, or purse. What I do especially if I have to work outdoors in winter is carry a little dried apple slices or other dried fruit if am not going to get regular brakes. If I feel that I need something I have it with me. The beauty of dried fruit is that it does not weigh much, and your body temperature will not harm it. It can be kept with you for several days until you decide you want it in a plastic bag. You can pull out a piece of dried fruit instead of a stick of gum.

Many vegans and vegetarians are actually fruitarians and don't know it.

To summarize, most fruitarians try to average about 75% raw fruit in their diet. They adjust the balance between sweet and non-sweet fruits to keep from gaining too much weight and to eat from a variety of plant sources. They include leafy greens and other succulent plant foods. Though they may occasionally eat small amounts of dairy because they like it they try to stay away from animal products.

I personally try to stay away from animal products because I don't like pain. I am prone to develop arthritis when I eat animal products. An ounce of cheese once in a while does not cause me too much grief. However frequent use of dairy will cause much arthritis pain in my joints.

I praise God that I am prone to develop arthritis. People who are prone to develop other more serious diseases like heart disease may not know that they are doing harm until it is too late.

Short Term

The fruitarian Genesis 1:29 or Hallelujah diet, or Natural Hygiene, have been proven to curtail disease. Myself and countless others overcame arthritis. Cancer cannot grow on the fruitarian diet with all animal products removed. It has been shown to help the body heal itself from most other diseases.

Disease is a result of a body being out of balance. A well-rounded fruitarian diet will bring the body back into balance.

Long Term

Many critics claim that the fruitarian lifestyle is not sustainable long term. That claim is not sustainable by the facts. There are thousands of fruitarian vegetarians out there who have lived 50 or more years on a plant based diet after living a more traditional diet. They overcame their disease and went on to live a happy healthy life.

There are millions of people who live in societies where living plant food diets are the norm. They experience virtually no disease, and live happy productive lives up until they die. I find that most critics just don't want to give up their favorite foods, so it is easier, and strokes their ego, if they criticize the fruitarian diet and lifestyle.

I mentioned diabetes and the fact that fruitarians don't have a problem with diabetes. However if you have diabetes you should not eat too much sweet fruit. If you replace your sweet treats that caused your diabetes with fruit it would be a step in the right direction but once you have diabetes it is easy to eat too much fruit.

If you use this information to change your diet and lifestyle you do so at your own risk. I offer you this information to help you learn how to stop causing disease. However I am not a medical doctor and do not prescribe diet as a treatment.

Charles Snyder (Chuck) is a health minister with Hallelujah Acres, and a teacher of Natural Hygiene. He is not a medical doctor. If you have a medical condition please see your doctor. Natural Hygiene helps you build health naturally, by living in accord with the way we were designed.

You can contact Chuck through his website. He has many other articles and resources there to help you on your journey to health.

Charles Snyder (Chuck) is a health minister with Hallelujah Acres, and a teacher of Natural Hygiene. He is not a medical doctor. If you have a medical condition please see your doctor. Natural Hygiene helps you build health naturally, by living in accord with the way we were designed.

You can contact Chuck through his website. He has many other articles and resources there to help you on your journey to health.

http://www.arthritis-back-knee-pain-free-health-restored.com

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Food Sensitivity and IBS

Thus, the food you are ingesting may be aggravating your already sensitive gut. Although you may be aware of and avoid one or two food products that set off your IBS, you'd be surprised at how many other food can add fuel to the fire.

Discovering what foods you are sensitive too requires the creation of a food diary. Recording each morsel of food you eat and the symptoms you experience after each meal will help you determine what foods trigger an IBS attack. You should create your diary with the help of a professional such as a nutritionist or your health care provider, so that you have effective guidance and results.

Although food sensitivities may vary for each IBS sufferer, the following is a list of foods that are known to trigger IBS symptoms, particularly diarrhea:
- Sugar - natural (I.E. honey) refined (I.E. chocolate) artificial (I.E. sweeteners)

- Carbonated beverages

- Alcohol

- Dairy

- Fried and fatty foods

- Dark meat and poultry skin

- Red meat

- Shortening

- Egg yolks

Foods that are linked to symptoms of gas include:

- Bananas

- Raisins

- Broccoli

- Cabbage family - cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts

- Leeks

- Onion

- Beans

- Garlic

- Nuts

Despite all of the different food products that can lead to symptoms, it has been found that most food sensitivities felt by IBS sufferers are related to:
- Fructose (sugar found in dried fruit and fruit juice)

- Sorbitol (sugar replacement)

- Lactose (milk sugar)

- Wheat bran

Unlike lactose intolerance, which is actually quite a common condition among IBS sufferers, the other food sensitivities listed above cannot be discovered through allergy testing. Thus, a food diary can help detect such sensitivities, so that they can be eliminated from the diet in an effort to improve symptoms.

Furthermore, it is essential your diet contains sufficient fiber. There are two types of fiber: Soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber is harder on the system and moves faster though the digestive tract. Therefore, it is better to ingest soluble fiber instead of insoluble fiber, as soluble fiber is slower moving through the digestive system and can reduce symptoms.

Soluble fiber helps to prevent spasms in the intestinal tract and keeps the colon slightly distended. Fiber also helps you absorb water which can prevent constipation. However, keep in mind that eating a high-fiber diet can increase gas, bloating and diarrhea. Therefore, you should try to keep your diet regulated with fiber. You can find soluble fiber in barley, lima beans, barley, currants, brown rice, oatmeal, oat bran, figs, pasta, prunes, soy, rice, etc.

When it all comes down to it, many people with IBS find that by keeping their diet high in carbohydrates (I.E. vegetables, fruits, rice, pasta, cereal and whole-grain bread, etc.) and low in fat, they have an overall improvement of symptoms. In addition, it was also found that instead of eating three large meals per day, eating several small meals daily helped to reduce symptoms.

Drinking more water can also aid in proper digestion, but you should avoid drinking water with meals as this may cause food to move faster through your system resulting in diarrhea.

Remember, the best way to determine your food sensitivities is to create a food diary. You can get a handle over your IBS symptoms by eliminating "trigger" foods from your diet, drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly and finding ways to reduce stress.

By Susan Reynolds. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for managing IBS naturally at Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief Secrets On the site you'll also find more about IBS symptoms and information on alternative IBS treatments

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History Of Seedless Grapes And Raisins Used In Wine Making

In centuries past, ancient man noticed that grapes hanging on vines lasted for months, and even though seedy, the fruit was sweet to the taste. These grapes dried out in the sun and were called raisins. The raisins could be stored for months to be eaten at a later time, centuries before advanced civilizations learned how to preserve foods artificially by canning and freezing. Other fruit items such as palm tree dates, figs, apricot, prune-plum, pear, and peach could be preserved by sun drying. Today, many additional products can be preserved by vacuum drying, such as strawberry, blueberry, and a host of tropical fruits, such as pineapple, guava, and many other fruits and berries. After many people age, a craving for dried fruit, grapes, and berries intensifies because of the high sugar content (sweetness), and the concentrated flavor.

Basically, all ancient raisins were grown as two types: the regular sized grapes were dried, large in size with large seed, and the raisins that came from Corinth, Greece were called currants (the word is a corruption of the word Corinth). The currants were very small but grew into huge grape clusters on the grapevine, and were extremely sweet with an aromatic, intense flavor. Currants became an international, valuable success, and were sought after, even being grown to be used in trading matters like currency. The word, currency, derived from the word currants.

The mystery remains today about which chemicals in grapes, other than sugar, that are responsible for preserving grapes in the form of raisins or in bottling the liquid aromatic wine, that improves in flavor after being aged for many years. There is a special grape from Hungary called Tokay (Tokaji) that is left on the vine to ripen into raisins. The raisins are pickled and fermented into the famous Tokay wine, that must be aged for many years as an aromatic wine known for its unique and intense flavor. The Tokay wine was named as the wine of Tsars, Kings, and Presidents . Catherine the Great, Tsarina of Russia, stationed Cossack soldiers to guard her treasured cache of Tokay raisin wine. Queen Victoria of England received 972 bottles of Tokay wine on her birthday. King Louis XIV of France pronounced Tokay wine as "the wine of Kings, the King of wines." Gourmets agree that Tokay wine should be assigned to a special named category, since the extra step of aging came from the aging of the grape to the raisin, and is bypassed in normal wine producing.

It is difficult to trace the absolute first appearance of raisin culture in ancient history, but it is known that raisins were written about in the ancient Scriptures of the Hebrew Bible. Raisins were actually written about in the Bible as a forbidden fruit, that was prohibited from the diets of a religious cult called the Nazirites. Members of the cult were Nazirites, such as Aaron, brother of Moses, and all his priestly descendants; Samson, the Judge; John the Baptist of the New Testament, and members of another religious cult, the Rechabites. Numbers 6:14 reads that the Nazirites were forbidden to taste fresh wine, "grape juice or raisins." These Nazirites were not allowed to eat anything from the grapevine, even forbidding the eating of grape skins and grape seeds, and were not even permitted to grow grape vines or to own vineyards. Judges 13:13 prohibited the mother of Samson from allowing her son to eat "raisins or drink any wine."

Even though the Scriptures make no direct prohibition to John the Baptist to abstain from eating raisins, the edict is implicit in acknowledging that John the Baptist was a Nazirite, which was referred to by Jesus in Matthew 11:18 and Luke 5:33.

King David was given "one hundred raisin cakes and 200 fig cakes." 1 Samuel 25:18, after having nothing to eat or drink for three days and nights. David was given "part of a fig cake, two clusters of raisins, and some water" 1 Samuel 30:12. After leaving Jerusalem, King David's donkeys were loaded with one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred bunches of grapes, and a small barrel of wine. At the feast for King David, donkeys brought vast supplies of "fig cakes, raisins, wine" etc for the celebration. 1 Chronicles 12:40

Historically, it is recorded that the Greeks were growing grapes (currants) in Corinth, and the culture of grapes and raisins flourished with the rise of the Roman Empire followed by the Medieval Age of the Catholic church and the Crusades that renewed and redistributed the trade of grapes and raisins. Raisins were used as a reserve food on the ships of Christopher Columbus, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, in 1492. Spanish Missions later grew grapes and produced raisins in the New World, most importantly in California, and were the most important commercial farmers to plant and grow grapevines for raisin production.

Perhaps the most important improvement in raisin marketing came from the vineyard of William Thompson, who renamed the grape he imported as the white "Thompson Seedless" grape, that was, and is, the most significant cultivar in modern grape marketing, and customer demand for a seedless raisin. Many other new seedless grapes have been recently hybridized as candidates for seedless raisin to plant and grow. The pleasure of eating sweet, aromatic raisins is reduced, if the person is required to spit out hard, bitter tasting seed, therefore, seedless raisins dominate the market and the fresh grape fruit market. Recent advances in applications of plant growth hormones assure the total seedless condition of grapes and raisins, because the seed inside the embryonic grape are completely aborted by spraying the flowers of the grapes with gibberillic acid (gibberillin) and the grapes grow into very sweet, big and juicy, and evolve into excellent raisins.

New grape varieties that are useful for raisins are:

Black Beauty seedless grape, the only black seedless grape with a taste like concord grapes.

Flame seedless grape, the second most popular seedless grape, compared to Thompson's seedless, deep red in color, round with a pleasant crunch and a sweet-tart taste balance.

Tokay seedless grape, also called Tokay flame seedless, sweeter version of Flame seedless, orange-red with a crisp texture.

Perlette seedless grape, the frosty-white bloom is atop a crisp green skin, the hardiest seedless grape that ripens earlier than other varieties.

Ruby Seedless grape, deep red skin, juicy and oval shaped.

Thompson's seedless grape, white, crisp, juicy and sweet.

Other seedless grapes are Autumn Royal seedless grape, Canadice Seedless grape, Concord seedless grape, Crimson seedless grape, Princess seedless grape, and Summer Royal seedless grape.

Learn more about various plants, or purchase ones mentioned in this article by visiting the author's website: TyTy Nursery

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3 Great Leftover Bread Recipes

Use your loaf...

It always seems so wasteful to throw away leftover food, and bread is no exception. Just because it's no longer super soft doesn't mean you can't include it in some great recipes. In this month's cookery class, Simon Shaw shows you how to make three classic bread-based dishes, plus check out his top tips for getting the most out of past-its-best bread.

Bread and butter pudding

Dating from the 17th century, bread and butter pudding has many variations - some with spices, others with different types of bread - so use whatever you have

Serves 4

Ready in 1 hour 50 minutes

Price per serving 60p

40g butter, plus a little extra for greasing

300ml single cream

100ml milk

50g caster sugar

Few drops of vanilla extract

4 slices white bread (preferably 2-3 days old)

3tbsp sultanas or raisins

3 large free-range eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish. Put the cream, milk and sugar in a pan and heat to just below simmering point. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Butter the bread and cut into triangles. Layer in the dish, overlapping the slices and sprinkle the dried fruit over.
Break the eggs into a bowl and add the cream mixture, whisking slowly. Pour over the bread and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Sit the dish in a roasting tin containing a little boiling water. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the top is brown and the custard just set.

Apple Charlottes

This delicious combination of apples with a buttery bread crust, served with custard, is the ultimate comfort food

Serves 4

Ready in 1 hour 15 minutes

Price per serving 55p

2 Bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 eating apple, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes

Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 level tbsp light brown sugar

2 level tbsp fresh breadcrumbs

10 medium-thick bread slices, crusts removed

65g butter, softened

½ level tsp ground cinnamon

Custard, to serve

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Put all the apples in a pan with the lemon zest and juice, brown sugar and 1tbsp water. Cover and cook until the apple is soft.
Tip into a bowl and add the breadcrumbs.
Meanwhile, cut out 4 rounds of bread to fit the bases of 4 individual pudding basins and 4 rounds to fit the tops. Cut enough strips to line the sides of the basins, so that they overlap slightly to ensure there are no gaps. Discard the rest of the bread or whizz in a processor and make crumbs to freeze for later.
Mix the butter with the cinnamon and spread on both sides of the bread. Line the bases and sides of the basins with the buttered bread, fill with the apple mixture and cover with the bread tops.
Put the basins on a baking tray and cook for 25 minutes. Leave for 5 minutes, then turn out and serve hot with custard.

Bread pudding

This old-fashioned teatime treat is just as good served hot or cold

Serves 4

Ready in 2 hours 30 minutes

Price per serving 50p

Butter, for greasing

225g stale white bread

300ml milk, plus a little extra if necessary

175g mixed dried fruit

50g shredded suet

50g light soft brown sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1 level tsp Mixed Dried Spice

1 large egg, beaten

Caster sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Grease an ovenproof dish. Break the bread into small pieces and put in a bowl. Pour on the milk and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Mash with a fork to break down any lumps.
Add the dried fruit, suet, brown sugar, spice and egg, and mix well. Add a dash more milk if the mixture seems too stiff - it should be a soft dropping consistency. Put in the prepared dish and level the top.
Bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until the top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the dish for at least 20 minutes, then cut into squares and serve sprinkled with caster sugar.

Raj has been writing articles online now for quite a while. He writes about many subjects and you can check out his latest website on the Weslo Cadence Treadmill and Jamie Oliver Cookware

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Benefit Your Body With Pumpkin Seeds

You get into the Halloween spirit by carving a pumpkin. As you scoop out the seeds, your first instinct is to throw them away; but not so fast. Save the seeds! There's a delicious and healthy snack hidden in that pile.

Pumpkin seeds (also called 'pepitas') are a highly nutritious food. These tiny seeds contain a significant amount of vitamins, protein and iron, which promotes an increase in energy levels. Pumpkin seeds reduce inflammation and have a high concentration of the minerals your body needs- zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

One serving of seeds provides you with a healthy quantity of the heart- healthy fat that reduces "bad" cholesterol.

Nutritionist, Shane Heaton, shares a few ways to enjoy pumpkin seeds:

"Sprinkle them on cereal and salads, or add to homemade breads. Mix with other nuts, seeds and dried fruit to make a great trail mix. Add them to soup. Organic pumpkin seeds tend to be a darker green than their non-organic equivalents - a sign of their higher magnesium content."

And, while they are most nutritious when eaten raw, if you prefer them prepared, here's how to toast them:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the pumpkin open and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

2. In a saucepan, add seeds to water (about 2 cups of water to a half cup of seeds). Add salt, then bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Drain.

3. Put a little olive oil on a roasting pan, then spread the seeds out. Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes, or until the seeds begin to darken. Let the seeds cool before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole. The shell is a good source of fiber.

Be bold and try some pumpkin seeds. You only need a handful a day to take advantage of the nutrients in this 'superfood.'

So go ahead and give your tongue something to toss around when you're in the snacking mood.

Anna Goldstein graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and completed her Life Coaching Certification at New York University. Her holistic approach gives you the tools, support and accountability to set and accomplish your goals. She empowers people to eliminate bad habits and negative thought patterns to help you achieve results.For Life Coaching information visit http://selfinthecity.googlepages.com/lifecoachanna Sign up for Anna's Free healthy living tips at http://www.selfinthecity.com

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Effective Diets: British Diet

Here is a daily eating schedule recommendations.

Breakfast (smallest meal for a day. About 200 cal)
Choice 1: one boiled egg or scrambled eggs made of 1one egg, one slice of wholemeal flour toasted bread, 100 g of fresh juice.
Choice 2: 1 / 3 cup of oatmeal with 1 cup of skim milk, table spoon of spoon of raisins, 150 grams of fruit juice.
Choice 2: 2 table spoons of whole-grain cereal with 1 cup of skim milk, and an apple.
Choice 4: 200 g of fruit salad, 150 g of yogurt from skim milk.

Lunch (medium "energized" meal, about 300 cal)
Choice 1: 1 baked with their skins potato, stuffed with 100 grams of cottage cheese with sweet fruit (steamed or dried fruit), vegetables salad with a spoon of sunflower oil, an orange, apple or pear.
Choice 2: vegetarian broth, 25 g of grated cheese, 1 whole-wheat bun (50 g), a pear or apple.
Choice 3: 2 slices of toasted bread, 50 g baked beans (beans), 100 g of fresh fruit.
Choice 4: scrambled eggs, vegetables, cheese and two eggs with tomato, green pepper and mushrooms, 1 apple.

Dinner (the most heavy meal of the day - about 500 calories)
Choice 1: a hot dish of beans, 100 g of fresh fruit.
Choice 2: milk soup made from vegetables, 25 g fat grated cheese (white cheese), whole grain bread, 50 g dried apricots, soaked with cheese.
Choice 3: 1 large potato, baked in with skins, 60 g baked beans, carrots, cabbage, 2 cups of yogurt with a few pieces of chopped dried apricots.

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Wedding Emergency Kits

Murphy's Law of weddings... and just about everything else... states that if it something can make a bride cry by going wrong, it will! While having an emergency kit will not keep large mishaps from creating drama, being prepared for many of the little boo boos will keep everyone a bit calmer.
 
A tote bag with some of the following items can be stashed at the church or wedding venue, then transported to the reception by an appointed bridesmaid or member of the house party. This is not a job for the scattered brained. Ask someone who is great with details to handle this.
 
For minor medical issues:
 
·         Small first aid kit including: adhesive strips, alcohol pads, anti-bacterial cream. Some kits include smelling salts, which can be an added bonus if you have a nervous bride or bridegroom.
·         Pain relievers such as aspirin or Tylenol.
·         Some sort of anti itch cream
For Bride and Bridesmaids dressing room:
·         Needle and threads already threaded in the colors that match the bride's and bridesmaids' dresses. Several needles with each color and extra thread will make quick repairs seamless... pun intended.
·         Extra panty hose for the wedding party in their sizes and colors.
·         Talcum powder to offset sweaty days
·         Deodorant
·         Manicure kits including nail file, polish remover and the nail polish color(s) used by the wedding party as well as some clear polish for chips and nicks.
·         Safety pins
·         Duct tape... yes, duct tape because when all else fails, duct tape can be the answer.
·         Scissors
·         Anti-static spray
·         Instant stain remover product
·         Facial tissues
·         Paper towels
·         Disposable moist hand towels
·         Antacid tablets
·         Bottled water
·         Simple snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, cheese and crackers
·         Toothpaste and toothbrush
·         Breath mints
·         Trash bags
·         Feminine Hygiene Supplies
 
For the Groom and Groomsmen dressing room:
 
·         Talcum powder to offset sweaty days
·         Deodorant
·         Instant stain remover product
·         Paper towels
·         Disposable moist hand towels
·         Antacid tablets
·         Bottled water
·         Simple snacks such as nuts, dried or fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, small sandwiches
·         Toothpaste and toothbrush
·         Breath mints
·         Trash Bags
·         Needle and thread with color of tuxes and shirts already pre-threaded to reattach wayward buttons and sagging hems
·         A trusted mom, grandmother, aunt, cousin, etc to operate the items in the emergency kit if the Groom and the Groomsmen are 'emergency kit challenged'
 
Items that overlap between the two dressing rooms can be shared only if the rooms are in close proximity to each other, which is rarely the case. Searching for the needed product from a distance in the middle of a crisis only creates more stress. All of the items can follow the new couple to their home for future use. Grouping similar items such as pain relievers, antacids, etc into zipper style plastic bags will make grab and go retrieval easier.
 
Not all crisis can be anticipated or planned for, but some pre-thought into possible mishaps will allow you to avert some problems.  
 
© Marilyn Baldwin Lewis

About the author: Marilyn Lewis is a professional Interior Designer with over 27 years of experience. an event planner, and owner of the online retail shop http://www.LovedTheParty.com which features favors, decorations, invitations and gifts for parties and events. Marilyn has been been planning, designing and executing weddings, fundraisers, debutante parties, birthday and corporate events for her clients for more than 20 years.

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How Can I Eat All That? Easy Ways to Include More Fruit and Vegetables in Your Diet

Here is how you can easily eat the right amount of fruit and vegetables every day:

First, the fruit. Ideally, you should have two to four serves of fruit every day, preferably fresh raw fruit rather than tinned, dried or processed. 'One serve' of fruit is:

- one piece of whole fruit, like one whole apple, banana or peach. Or
- one large wedge of fruit, like a large wedge of watermelon or rockmelon. Or
- ¾ cup of fresh fruit juice. Or
- ¼ cup of dried fruit.

You can use any combination to add up to the right number of serves. However its better to choose fresh raw fruit more often as its higher in fibre and more filling. Avoid dried fruit as a fruit serve as it is very high in natural sugar.

Here are some ideas to help add plenty of fruit into your diet:

- Top your breakfast porridge with a banana
- Enjoy a piece of fruit for morning or afternoon tea
- Make up a colourful fresh fruit salad for dessert

Now, the vegetables. You need five serves every day, at least two of these serves as green vegetables, and at least one of your serves should be an orange vegetable. "One Serving" size is ½ cup chopped vegetables, or one cup of leafy vegetables.

Here are some ideas to help you fit plenty of vegetables into your day:

- Enjoy your breakfast egg on a bed of wilted spinach rather than toast
- Plan to make a large raw salad one of your main meals. Add some protein for a complete meal.
- Instead of a pie and chips for lunch, order a salad sandwich from the local takeaway.
- Make up a delicious vegetable soup for your evening meal.
- Enjoying some evening drinks and dips? Make up a platter of carrot and celery sticks, and use these for the dips rather than biscuits.

The easy way to fit all this food into your day is to focus your menu fruit and veg first, then look for other foods to go with it. Here is a sample diet for a day:

Breakfast: Poached egg and baked beans with wilted spinach, or porridge topped with a banana.

Morning tea: Fresh apple or orange with a handful of nuts

Lunch: Salad sandwich with chicken. Fresh fruit to follow.

Afternoon tea: Hummus or beetroot dip with carrot and celery sticks

Dinner: Poached salmon with steamed potato, pumpkin, and broccoli. A colourful fruit salad for dessert.

There, easy isn't it! Happy eating!

Olwen Anderson is an accredited naturopath based on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Visit her web site for free health information, subscribe to her monthly Health e-News for up to date natural health information; and read more articles that can help you take control of your health. Visit http://www.olwenanderson.com.au

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Living Without Sugar - 3 Breakfast Ideas to Give You Energy Whilst Still Pleasing Your Sweet Tooth

Many of us prefer sweet foods for breakfast. But now your doctor said you mustn't have sugar any more, or you yourself decided you need to cut it out because you want to lose weight? For many people, and I admit I'm one of them, it's unthinkable to live without sugar. We know, we don't need it, but it somehow adds pleasure to our life. Sugary foods are luxuries we don't want to give up. So, what if you have to because your health demands it?

First of all, think about when you have sugar

as an energy booster to wake up in the morning
as a life saving snack when your energy level is running low
sweet foods like cookies, cakes and chocolates for pure indulgence

How sugar gives you energy

Let's focus on the first two aspects: sugar for energy. It's true that plain sugar, because it's absorbed very fast, in the stomach already, gives you a very quick energy boost. But after a very short time, this effect wears off, and you need more.

Did you know that carbohydrates as you find them in starchy foods like bread, pasta, potatoes and rice are way better energy providers, especially the complex carbs found in whole grain products? They are released and absorbed slower and over a longer period, thus giving you energy for hours instead of minutes.

Sweet sugar-free breakfast ideas

Instead of loading your breakfast with sugar, try this great strategy: Use fruity foods to satisfy your sweet tooth, and starchy foods to give you lasting energy for the day. Especially whole grain cereals or bread will do a great job. Your breakfast could look like this:

The cereal breakfast:

1 glass of orange juice (freshly squeezed, or the 100% unsweetened fruit juice out of the box)
a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk
1 banana, or half a handful dried fruit mixed into the porridge

The sandwich breakfast:

1 glass of orange or other fruit juice
1 whole grain roll with jam (jam should be sugar reduced, if possible made with natural sweeteners) or honey
1 fruit

The meal-like breakfast:

1 small pancake, 2 small waffles or 2 muffins (use whole grain flour and make sure you don't use sugar, if you want to sweeten it, use honey)
fruit salad (without sugar added)
a small bowl of low fat yogurt
1 glass of fruit juice

You see, there are many ways to have a lovely sweet breakfast without sugar. The only sugar you find in these breakfast ideas is fruit sugar, which is doing much less harm to your body than the plain sugar, and honey which is healthier too. Be aware that when using honey, you only need half the amount than if using sugar as it is sweeter, and dried fruit contains more fruit sugar than the same amount of fresh fruit. But all it takes are some small changes, and you got a healthy sugar-free breakfast which won't make you miss sugar at all.

Bettina Berlin is a health professional specializing in healthy nutrition and quick cooking. Eating healthy and thus maintaining a healthy weight can significantly improve your health and help prevent many diseases. Is your life so hectic that preparing healthy food often seems impossible? Then visit http://www.elishas-quick-recipes.blogspot.com TODAY and get your FREE fast cooking tips and much delicious quick easy recipes!

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Christmas Pudding

Christmas pudding is a dessert traditionally served on Christmas day in Britain, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries. It is sometimes known as "plum pudding", but this name can also refer to other kinds of pudding based on dried fruit.

Christmas pudding is made with dried fruit and nuts, together with suet, and then steamed. It is very dark, almost black, and usually moist with brandy or other alcoholic beverages.

Christmas puddings were traditionally prepared five weeks before Christmas, most frequently on the Sunday of the week before the start of Advent (which is sometimes known as "Stir-up Sunday". However, as Christmas puddings keep extremely well for a long period of time (months, or sometimes even a year or more), many families like to put aside an extra pudding, to be eaten later in the year (for example at Easter). Some families even go so far as to make their Christmas pudding the year before!

Of course, not everybody makes their own Christmas pudding themselves nowadays - you can buy ready-made puddings in all major supermarkets - and all you have to do with these is simply heat them up. Traditionally a small silver coin was placed in the pudding (such as a sixpence) which could be kept by the person whose serving included it, and which hopefully would bring wealth for the coming year. Other tokens such as a silver thimble (for thrift), an anchor (for safe harbor) or a tiny wishbone (for luck) have also sometimes been included in Christmas puddings.

Christmas pudding is traditionally decorated with holly, and may be doused in brandy and fired. It may be eaten with brandy butter, cream, custard or other similar sauces.

By S. Tanna. First published at http://www.guide2christmas.com/p1_christmas_pudding.php

Discover Christmas traditions, foods, and how Santa's Sleigh compares to a supersonic jet aircraft at http://www.guide2christmas.com/

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Delicious and Nutritious Fruit and Vegetable Snacks

Let's face it, we all know that you need to take in at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables but most of us simply cannot find the time. So you sooth your conscience by eating half a apple whenever you get the opportunity to do and promise yourself that from tomorrow you will start eating you 5 servings of fruit and vegetables only to find yourself with a single apple in your hand again.

Why is it so difficult to eat those 5 servings a day? It is because most of us are under the impression that we have to buy fresh fruit and vegetables which take time to go to the market and pick out and people tend to believe that fresh fruit and vegetables are just too expensive. The good news is that fruit and vegetables are in actual fact quite cheap and if you simply cannot find the time to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, why not get the canned variety? By using your fruit and vegetables to make delicious and nutritious snacks you will get your 5 servings a day in no time.

Here Are a Couple of Snack Ideas:

* Cut your vegetables into strips or cubes and eat them with a low fat dip of your choice. This is lovely snack on those hot summer days.

* Using your juicer, make a fresh fruit juice. You can even freeze the juice in your ice trays as an alternative to ice cream.

* Make a fruit parfait by layering vanilla yogurt, granola and some berries.

* For a nutritious alternative to eating a candy bar rather eat strawberries covered in dark chocolate.

* You can freeze seedless grapes and eat them like you would a Popsicle.

* Make a fruit and yogurt smoothie.

* Cut up some fresh fruit and eat them with yogurt as a dip.

* Instead of fresh fruit why not make a mix of dried fruit and nuts as a snack alternative.

* Cut apples served with slices of cheese makes for a delicious snack.

* Instead of the normal dip, try eating celery with peanut butter as a dip.

* Make rice crackers with cream cheese, sliced tomato and avocado.

To make sure that you get your portions right for your fruit and vegetable snacks, follow the below guidelines on exactly how much is one portion of fruit and vegetables which will make getting you 5 portions a day:

One Portion of Fruit and Vegetables Equals:

* 1/2 a avocado or grapefruit

* 3 heaped tablespoons (about 65ml) of stewed fruit or fruit salad

* 2 Kiwis, plums or similar sized fruits

* 1 Banana, apple, orange or similar sized fruits

* 1 Large slice of pineapple or melon

* A cup (250ml) of berries, cherries or grapes

* 150ml Fruit juice with no sugar added

* 1 Heaped tablespoon (about 20ml) of sultanas or raisins

* 3 heaped tablespoons (about 65ml) of beans, vegetables or pulses

* 1 Dessert bowl with salad

There are several easy ways to start a healthy eating habit and improve your overall health. Access more detailed information and learn simple daily steps that you can follow by visiting my website at http://EverydayHealthGirl.com

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Decorations For a Harvest Festival

Each year, instead of celebrating Halloween, many towns choose to have a Harvest Festival. Harvest Festival is celebrated in autumn, a time of the year when people have harvested all the crops and want to rejoice and give thanks for all the food which has come from the land.

Corn dollies are one of the oldest and most popular decorative items. People have been making corn dollies for thousands of years, out of the last sheaf of corn cut. They believed that the Corn Spirit lives or will be reborn in the straw ornament. The corn doll can be placed at on the table at the harvest banquet. The decorations are kept all through winter, until spring, in order to make sure that the next harvest will be rich.

Many natural things can be used in order to decorate a house or a yard for Harvest Celebration: hay, corn, corn leaves, flowers, dried fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc. For example, a few blocks of hay can be used as the base of the front porch display. You can add big pumpkins, which give a brighter orange look.

Nature is at its richest in this time of year. You can use that to your advantage and make wonderful decorations. You can make the most original floral arrangements using fruit and flowers. Cut a few holes in giant pumpkin then stuff those holes with flowers of all colors. You can also fill the holes with florists foam, then arrange a selection of grass, willow branches and leaves, oranges, seed heads, berries or pomegranates, arranging them as you please.

Vegetables can be used for making all sorts of figurines, like people or animals. Melons can be used as bodies and pumpkins, beetroots, turnips or gourds can be used to make the heads. On the "heads" you can put terracotta pots as hats. Cucumbers, corn or carrots can give good suggestions of legs and arms.

Set your imagination free and transform an ordinary container into a special one. Take a big plain vase and put some double sided tape around it. Then stick plants to the tape: dry twigs, small vegetables, dry fruit, grass and fallen leaves in all the earthy colors. The remaining empty spaces can be filled by sticking grains of sand or small pebbles to the double sided tape. Make the arrangement tighter by securing the plants with string or with raffia. After decorating the vase, feel free to fill it with flowers.

Wonderful decorations can be made on the middle of the table. Put some paper as a base on the table, in order to avoid damaging the polished table top with moisture from the dead leaves. Next, make a carpet of fallen red, yellow, orange and brown leaves. On this colorful carpet, put small branches, acorns, twigs and cones in the shape of a basket, or a bird's nest. In the middle of the seemingly bird's nest, put fruits and vegetables.

For a more extravagant look, you can add some candles here and there, which, when lit, spread a warm and welcoming light all over the table. Create contras in the arrangement, by making a center of shiny red apples or small pumpkins in the middle of a brownish dried carpet of leaves and twigs. Apples can also be used as candle holders, keeping candles in place, because they can be easily carved in almost any shape.

For those who do not want to stick to the traditional, there is a variety of other natural products which can be used for decorating. Bamboo, in lighter colors, can be found at florist's supply shops. Bamboo sticks can be tied together with heat, dried flowers or silk decorations.

Walls and stairs in or outside the house can be decorated with vine wraths. Wraths can be decorated with red, purple or blue ribbons, pine cones and leaves in order to look more glamorous. Door decorations are, of course, the first thing guests notice. In order to make an ornament for the door you need some raffia festive ribbons, plastic or dried oranges, colorful fallen leaves and some glue to make a harvest wreath.

Braid the raffia rope in a loose manner then tie small flowers and oranges in the braided raffia. Make a big ribbon leaving long tails and tie it around the braid. Glue many leaves on the ribbon tails and on the raffia braids, in order to make it look richer and more colorful. You can also glue some moss on the braid, or even grass.

Children like to play games and receive gifts and candy. Children can decorate the paper sacks in which they put prizes and sweets with leaf cutouts. Children can also help decorating, especially because they have the most fun doing it. For example, they can make paper bag pumpkins for themselves. For this, they need a brown paper bag, some orange and green acrylic paint, scissors, a brush, a sheet of construction paper and some pieces of raffia or green string.

The first thing is painting the outside of the paper bag with orange acrylic paint. The top part of the inside will be painted with green paint. After the paint is dry, this top section will be cut with the scissors in order to make small fringes. Small pieces of yellow construction paper can be glued on the bag in order to make it resemble faces or jack-o'-lanterns.

If the bag is going to be used as decoration, it can be filled with crumpled pieces of newspaper. If not, kids can fill them with chocolate, candy canes, fruit or small toys which they receive. After the bag has been filled, kids can tie them with string or with green raffia. If you wish to place the pumpkin bags outside, you should give them some weight by putting a few cups of sand at the bottom before filling it with newspaper or candy.

Sam D Goddard has worked in the party and events industry for many years and has a wealth of experience and ideas for organising celebrations for the whole family. For more information about harvest, click here.

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What Fruits Can a Diabetic Eat?

What fruits can a diabetic eat - this is an excellent question and can be answered quite easily. All fruits are good for us, however, you need to be aware that there are some fruits that are high in GI and diabetics should avoid these.

Within each food group you will find that the serving sizes of foods are nutritionally similar for example, a slice of bread is equivalent to a 1/3 cup of cooked rice. Within a particular food group, foods can be swapped and exchanged for another.

The general servings for fruit are as follows:

1 medium sized piece of fruit (these include bananas, apples and oranges)
½ cup of diced canned or pieces of fruit (120 to 130g)
4 Prunes (30g)
½ cup of fruit juice (150ml)
2 small pieces of fruit (plums, kiwifruit, apricots)
20g Dried fruit (6 dates, 6 apricot halves, 1 ½ tbsp sultanas)

It is essential to know what fruits a diabetic can eat as this can cause your sugar levels to rise unexpectedly. This is why it is important to keep a list of what foods you eat so that you can monitor the exact foods that are helpful to you as a diabetic and what foods can harm you, meaning the foods and fruits that cause your blood sugar to rise and become dangerous and even life threatening.

Following is a list of what fruits a diabetic can eat and these are of course low in GI:

Apples
Dried Apples and Apricots
Avocado
Bananas
Blueberries
Dates
Figs
Fruit & Nut mix
Grapefruit
Grapes
Kiwifruit
Lemons
Limes
Mango
Mixed Nuts & Raisins
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Peaches in natural juice
Peaches Dried
Pear
Pears in natural juice
Pears dried
Plums
Prunes
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tropical Fruit & Nut mix

It is essential that you include at least two serves of fruit into your diet each day. You must also remember to add around five serves of vegetables to your diet as well. Fruit and vegetables are a tremendous part of your low GI diet. They are nutrient rich as well as low in kilojoules, which means these are the foods that diabetics can eat and cannot overeat and do damage, and they taste sensational.

It is well know that a diet that is high in fruit and vegetables is linked to the protection of cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration, obesity, and other age related diseases. By knowing what fruits a diabetic can eat is an enormous step towards combating this terrible disease and achieving optimum health.

Sue Kennedy is the author of the physician-endorsed e-book "Defeat Diabetes Now," and operates a membership channel devoted to health & wellness. Readers of her book also receive instant access to expert interviews, articles, diet plans and other resources designed to maintain optimum health and prevent disease. to defeat diabetes now.

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20 Ways to Get Your Five Portions of Fruit and Vegetables a Day

The government and many health organisations recommend that you eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day for optimum health. Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are essential for keeping your body fit and well.

However, the average adult in the UK consumes just 2.8 portions, half of the recommended amount, because many people find it a challenge to incorporate that much fresh produce in their diet. Here's 20 ways to help you reach your five a day.

1. Add some fruit to your breakfast cereal, muesli or porridge. Try a sliced banana or apple or a handful of berries.

2. Start the day with a smoothie - they're an easy way to get a couple of your portions in a delicious tasting drink.

3. Have a glass of fruit juice at breakfast, but remember no matter how much you drink it only counts as one portion.

4. Snack on a piece of fruit instead of chocolate. You'll still satisfy your sweet tooth plus the carbohydrates will give you an energy boost.

5. Cut up some crunchy vegetable such as carrots and celery into sticks and keep in the fridge to munch on when you feel hungry.

6. Baked beans on toast count towards one of your portions. Choose wholemeal toast instead of white for a healthier option.

7. Add vegetables to sandwiches - try sliced tomatoes, cucumber, pickled beetroot or crisp iceberg lettuce.

8. Dried fruit such as raisins, currants, apricots or prunes make a healthy, tasty snack.

9. Add fruit and vegetables to homemade casseroles and stews, chilis, tagines and pasta sauces.

10. It's easy to get two or three of your portions in a stir fry - the quick cooking means you'll keep most of the nutrients in.

11. Serve a side salad with your main meal. Use a mixture of seasonal vegetables for variety but go easy on fatty dressings.

12. Homemade soups can be made in batches and frozen, then defrosted as you need them. Tinned and cartoned vegetable soups count as well.

13. Vegetable kebabs and corn on the cob make great additions to a barbecue. Try barbecuing mushrooms, peppers and onions too.

14. Children love small pieces of fruit such as grapes, cherries or satsuma segments. Pack some in their lunch instead of crisps or sweets.

15. Choose healthy pizza toppings like tomato, pepper, onion, pineapple, sweetcorn and mushrooms.

16. Add some vegetable dishes to your takeaway order. Try sag aloo with an Indian or steamed pak choi with a Chinese.

17. Bake some banana bread or make a delicious carrot cake for a healthy tea time treat.

18. A fruit salad is a simple and refreshing pudding. Use seasonal fruits and serve with low-fat yoghurt or creme fraiche.

19. Add fruit to packet jellies but be careful which ones you use as the enzymes in some fruits such as pineapple will prevent your jelly from setting.

20. Feel less guilty about the meringue and cream concoction by piling plenty of fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, kiwi and passion fruit onto a pavlova.

Follow these tips then you'll soon be eating your five a day and be feeling the health benefits too.

To save money and have the freshest produce you might want to try growing vegetables in your garden or on an allotment.

This article was written by the owner of Digging For Dinner.

The author is a keen gardener and cook.

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How to Make a Christingle Orange

What do you know about the Christingle?

Christingle means 'Christ-Light'. The Christingle celebrates the light of Christ and puts Christ back into Christmas.
The first Christingle service was in Germany around 1747. The service encouraged children to keep a candle burning in the window of their home so that people who passed by would see the light of Christ.

The Christingle service teaches children about Jesus. Of course Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, but the Christingle celebrates the meaning of Jesus' life, with each part of the Christingle orange having it's own symbolic meaning.

The orange itself represents the world.

The red ribbon around the orange symbolises the blood of Christ that Jesus shed to save us from our sin.

The four cocktail sticks are the four seasons of the year.

The dried fruit or sweets represent the fruits of the earth and the earth's riches God has blessed the world with.

The white candle, which is place in the top of the orange, represents Jesus, the light of the world that shines over everything.

The Christingle service usually takes place on the last Sunday before Christmas or on Christmas Eve. You could contact your local church for more details about visiting the Christingle service.

Of course you don't have to go to church, you could make your own Christingle range. All you need is...
An orange, 4 cocktail sticks, red ribbon, dried fruit or small soft sweets such as jellies pins and a white candle.

Cut a hole in the top of the orange so that the candle will sit snugly in place.

Wrap a length of red ribbon around the middle of the orange. Hold the ribbon in place with pins, push the pins into the orange.

Carefully push dried fruit or soft sweets onto each cocktail stick, so that the cocktail stick is half covered Carefully push the cocktail stick into the orange above the red ribbon. Evenly space the cocktail sticks out to the Four Corners of the world.

Finally add the white candle to the top of the orange. Light the candle and leave it in a window for passers by to see the light of Christ. Do be careful not to burn the curtains, do not leave the candle unattended. Remember to enjoy the fruits of the earth.

S. Roberts is one of Santa’s Helpers and writes for http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk a Christmas educational & activity website. For more Christmas fun stuff visit http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/christmas-fun-stuff.html In association with http://www.bigboystoyz.com Keeping Christmas Magical.

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12 Healthy Foods That Will Make You Fat

1. Salads. I love salad. I know, that's unusual. How often has it happened that you show up at a restaurant and look over the menu and all you see are high-calorie-value-options. But then you see "salad," and you think, "Ah ha! I can eat healthfully now!" The problem with salads are two-fold: Firstly, the toppings. Cheese. Almonds. Dried fruit. Croutons. Bacon Bits. All of these items add up significantly! The second problem: Dressings. Most are laden with oils, salt, and fat. In moderation, that's not a problem, but if you're like me, you want to douse your greens with some flavor. Your best option if you're going to pick a salad: Mix up some homemade dressing and carry it with you. My homemade dressing is: equal parts red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Add a little water, some salt, and some dill. (Add a dash of olive oil if you want, but I typically don't.) On its own, this dressing has ZERO calories. It's worth putting in your purse or keeping in the fridge. Just in case.

2. Sushi. I have several issues with sushi. For starters, they are filled predominantly with white rice. White rice (CARB) doesn't do a thing for you other than raise your glucose levels and then make you crash about an hour after eating it. It's bland, meaningless filler, devoid of nutrition and vitamins that you can find in other foods. Secondly, let's talk about the sodium. In a typical serving of Sushi (9.5 oz) there is about 1182 mg of sodium! That's a whole heck of a lot! You can typically find the salt in the seaweed wrap, in the rice, and in any sauces. And let's talk about the salt. In Wegman's Hoisin Peanut sauce for sushi, there's a ton of sodium (620 mg) and a ton of sugar (12g). There's nothing healthy in it. So, sushi, I say shame on you! You are not a health food! If you are stuck with Sushi or Sashimi at a party, pick that bad boy apart and just eat the fish or veggie in the middle. THAT part is good. The rest is naughty!

3. Dried Fruit. While I admit that dried fruit is healthy (it's fruit, after all), they pack more calories than if you got them served fresh. For instance, 10 rings of dried apple is 156 calories; a regular apple is less than 100 calories. Half a cup of raisins is 219 calories; half a cup of regular grapes is 52 calories. If you LOVE your dried fruit and must indulge, do so in moderation!

4. Granola. Holy calorie nightmare, batman! One cup of granola has about 597 calories! Plus, many types of granola are high in saturated fats. I don't know why granola is associated with a skinny, hippie lifestyle, but if you eat this stuff regularly, you're going to be anything but skinny.

5. Wraps. Many people opt for wraps instead of regular bread when enjoying a sandwich. The problem with wraps is that there's more surface area to them than regular bread, so you can pile more food in the middle. Case in point: A Honey Baked Ham Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap has 705 calories. Red Robin's Caesar Chicken Wrap has 1244 calories. A Ruby Tuesday Turkey Burger Wrap has 658 calories. None of those are diet-friendly choices. If you really feel like indulging in a sandwich, why not wrap the outside with a big hunk of lettuce?

6. Veggie burgers. These bad boys are becoming pretty much standard in most restaurants and offer a "healthy" alternative, especially for vegetarians. One good reason to choose a veggie burger is because it cuts out saturated fats. Also, the portion sizes of a veggie burger is typically much less (2.5 ounces, as compared to 5.0 ounces for a burger). They are also higher in protein. These all seem like great choices, right? The problem is when you start slapping on the extras. Have you ever seen just a plain veggie burger, on a bun? Nope. They're loaded with cheeses, sauces, veggie-chili, ketchup, etc. A quick perusal of calorie counts shows an average veggie burger cashes in at 650 calories! At that nutritional price tag, you're better off choosing something else.

7. Diet, microwaved meals. While many of these frozen meals offer yummy variety, quick cooking, and low-calories, the amount of salt they put in the dishes in order to preserve them on your grocery store shelf is deadly. Most meals clock in around 600 mg (or more) of salt in each meal! Holy smokes! You'll be so bloated it'll be a shock if you can squeeze your butt out of the cafeteria chair after that. Steer clear, my friends.

8. Bran Muffins. I checked out a few bran muffin recipes, and most of them are extraordinarily high in cholesterol and carbs. That being said, they are an okay (not good, but okay) source of fiber and protein, and don't always have high amounts of calories and fat. Not all bran muffins are created equal, so if you must have one of these, read the labels carefully. Personally, I wouldn't touch these with a ten foot pole.

9. Rice cakes. Remember back in the 1980s when everyone was chowing down on rice cakes as the latest diet craze? I don't know about you, but rice cakes are inexorably linked in my mind to weight loss and waifish figures delicately grazing on them. But are they really that healthy? Well, they are low in calories (about 35 calories per cake) and can be filling. The downside is that they offer pretty much zilch in terms of nutrition. They have very few vitamins, devoid of fiber, high in carbs, and a high glycemic index. For the same caloric price tag you can wolf down a big cucumber, and I guarantee it'll keep you feeling fuller for longer.

10. Half and Half. Most people enjoy their coffee in the morning, and there's a lot of people out there that put enough sugar and cream in the coffee to kill a small village. But not you, health-conscious person! You use half and half! But is it really as good as you think? For a little container of half and half, it's 20 calories. "What's wrong with that?" you ask. But think about it...8 oz of half and half is 160 calories, whereas 8 oz of skim milk is only 80 calories. If you're watching calories, this is a significant difference. My advice? Replace that half and half with a dash of skim milk.

11. Bottled Tea. Tea isn't necessarily that bad for you. Lipton's Unsweatened Tea has 0 calories, after all. But if you grab a SoBe Green Tea found in so many convenience stores, you're chugging down 240 calories and a whopping 61 grams of sugar. At that calorie price-tag, you might as well chug a Red Bull.

12. Juice. Most of us are aware that juice is pretty high in sugar. Many companies add a ton of extra sugar as well. For instance, a regular 8 oz cup of Tropicana Orange Juice has 108 calories and 21g sugar, whereas 8oz of SunnyD has 128 calories and 30 g sugar. But let's take a look at the carbs in these drinks, too: 25g and 31g, respectively! Between the sugar and carbs, you're better off just saying no. If you're going to drink some juice, get a fresh piece of fruit and juice it yourself. You'll cut out a lot of added sugar by going the natural route.

Christine lives in upstate New York and works as a Communication Specialist/Technical Writer for a technical university. Christine has a Masters of Science degree in Technical Communication. In her free time, she writes and maintains her website, Phoenix Revolution. More than just a blog, Phoenix Revolution provides a safe haven for women and men all over the world to come together to discuss real-life weight loss strategies. For ten years Christine has volunteered as a member, moderator, or administrator of several eating disorder forums. Visit her website at: http://www.phoenixrevolution.net and receive updates on Facebook at: http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/phoenix_revolution/

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Chaste Tree - Medicinal Uses, Interactions, Side Effects, Dosage

The dried fruit or berry of the chaste tree is often referred to as Monk's pepper or chasteberry; it was historically thought to reduce libido or promote chastity. Chaste tree is also commonly referred to as vitex.

Uses and Benefits:

Standardized extracts of the chaste tree berry are popular in Europe, and now in North America, for a variety of women's problems primarily related to the menstrual cycle. These disorders include menstrual cycle irregularities, the premenstrual syndrome (PMS), cyclic breast pain, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and infertility. Historically, vitex has also been used for inflammatory conditions, diarrhea, flatulence, insufficient lactation, and menstruation induction.

Adverse Effects: Vitex appears to be very well tolerated. Reported side effects in the clinical studies are rare and transient (often similar in frequency to placebo), and primarily include mild gastrointestinal complaints, allergic reactions, or headaches. A single case of unexplained nocturnal seizures in a patient taking chaste tree berry, black cohosh, and evening primrose oil has been reported ; a cause-and-effect relationship with vitex is doubtful.

Side Effects and Interactions:

There are no reported interactions with vitex. Due to its potential effects on dopamine and prolactin, it is relatively contraindicated with other drugs that are dopamine antagonists (e.g., bromocriptine, metoclopramide, antiparkinson's drugs).

Cautions:

Use during pregnancy and lactation should generally be avoided, although vitex has been employed to enhance fertility and stimulate lactation. In a case report of a woman undergoing unstimulated in vitro fertilization treatment, a combination herbal preparation containing vitex was associated with folliculogenesis and increased FSH, LH, and progesterone levels. In addition, the patient complained of symptoms suggestive of mild ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Preparations & Doses:

Vitex preparations and doses vary considerably; only the standardized European products have been demonstrated to be effective. In the German clinical trials, small doses of standardized extract preparations are equivalent to about 30-40 mg of dried or crude herb, and are usually administered each morning. Agnolyte is marketed in the U.S. as Femaprin (Nature's Way), and is usually given as one 4-mg tablet or 40 drops of extract per day. Herbalists in Britain and other English-speaking countries tend to use much larger doses of noncommercial preparations, equivalent to about 500-2000 mg/day of dried herb, often in liquid extracts and tinctures. A more recent European product is equivalent to about 120-240 mg of crude herb.

Steve Mathew is a writer, who writes many great articles on http://www.health-care-tips.org/herbal-medicines/index.htm and ayurvedic medicines for common ailments and diseases. Visit us for more information on http://www.home-remedies.info/herbal-remedies/index.htm and http://www.ayurvedic-medicines.org

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Get the Goji Berries

Goji berries have been used for thousands of years. They also go by the name of wolfberries. They're essentially the same thing. Only recently have they become popular in Western civilization. They are abundant in antioxidants. In fact, some people believe that they are more potent than blueberries in this regard.

You can't buy goji berries in fresh form, unless you live near where they are actually grown. You can get it in the form of dried fruit, juice or tea. They are similar in taste to dried cranberries and cherries. If you buy the ones from Tibet, they are apparently sweeter. Many people recommended daily servings of goji berries or some other berry.

One thing to note is that goji berries are a natural blood thinner. If you are already taking blood thinners, it might be a good idea to check with your doctor beforehand to make sure this is a healthy option.

What gives the goji berries the antioxidant effect are phytochemicals and vitamin C. Other nutrients include iron and fiber. Obviously the goji juice does not have any fiber, but you can get fiber from many other sources so that's not an issue. Plants sterols found in goji berries also help to lower your cholesterol and might provide anti-aging effects to your nerve cells. Here are some of the potential benefits of eating this fruit:

Heart Health

One of the phytochemicals found in, beta sitosterol, prevents cholesterol from being absorbed in the digestive system. Betaine, another phytochemical, helps lower homocysteine levels, which can lead to heart disease if too high. Also, the antioxidants found in the goji berry help prevent free radical damage.

Weight Loss

In order to synthesize certain amino acids that are used to transfer fat from the liver, our body needs betaine. This is found in goji berries.

Cancer Treatment

Some of the phytochemicals found in goji berries might help treat cancer, when combined with other methods.

Eye Health

Carotenoids, which are critical for proper vision, can be found in goji berries. They may help protect the retina and lower the risk of macular degeneration.

Unlike most fruits, goji berries are typically not sold at your local grocery store. You can purchase them online or in specialty health stores. Keep in mind that buying dried fruit is less expensive than juice.

You can eat dried goji fruit as it is or combine it into some kind of trail mix or cereal, the same way that you would with dried cranberry. You can also use them as a substitute in recipes for raisins.

The good thing about dried fruit is it can last for a long time. You don't even need to refrigerate it. Just keep it at room temperature away from heat or moisture. If you decide to soak them in water, make sure to eat them the same day.

Goji juice might last a month, so you'll want to use it up faster. For those who just want no hassle, you can get goji fruit in supplement form.

Mark is an Internet Marketer and Electrical Engineer. His interests include meeting new people, making music, listening to music, travel and psychology. Come visit his latest website which helps people find the best information on Sennheiser wireless headphones and wireless earbud headphones.

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