Healing Miracles of Fruits

Since time immemorial, fruits, whether fresh or dried, have been a natural staple diet of human beings. Replete with minerals, vitamins, enzymes, they are easily digestible. In some parts of the world, fruits serve as medicines and can treat ailments.

Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice, are excellent ways to retain and balance the moisture level in the body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who would like to avail of a salt-free diet.

Recent scientific studies have also claimed that the naturally occurring antioxidants found in most fruits and vegetable juices can help lower a person's risks of developing Alzheimer's disease. Noni Juice is one such miracle fruit juice.

In addition, fruits are known for their ability to promote detoxification in the human body. Fruits help to cleanse the body, especially those with high acid levels.

Being a tropical country, fruits abound in the Philippines. They are available throughout the year and in any parts of the country. One of this is the national fruit called mango. Reference to mangoes as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas. In the Philippines, the fruits are made into ice cream, pies, jams, chutneys, drinks, preserves, brandy and vinegar.

Unripe mango is eaten with bagoong. Dried strips of sweet, ripe mangoes have also gained popularity both inside and outside the country, with those produced in Cebu, making it to export markets around the world.

Dried mango flowers, containing 15 percent tannin, serve as astringents in cases of diarrhea, chronic dysentery, and catarrh of the bladder. The bark possesses 16 percent to 20 percent tannin and has been employed for tanning hides.

Mango kernel decoction and powder (not tannin-free) are used as vermifuges and as astringents in diarrhea, hemorrhages and bleeding hemorrhoids. Extracts of unripe fruits and of bark, stems and leaves have shown antibiotic activity. In some of the islands of the Caribbean, the leaf decoction is taken as a remedy for diarrhea, fever, chest complaints, diabetes, hypertension and other ills. A combined decoction of mango and other leaves is taken after childbirth.

Another readily available health-packed fruits is the banana. Alexander the Great described this "heavenly fruit" as something "that tasted like nectar sweetened in honey."

Nutrition experts claim that banana is low in protein, free of fats but high in energy. A fully ripe banana has 20-25 percent sugar. It has a significant amount of B-vitamins, especially B1 and B6. B1 is a brain tonic whereas B6 relieves, in particular, uncomfortable symptoms of the pre-menstrual tension syndrome like irritability, headaches, tender breasts, and water retention.

A recent survey undertaken in the United States has shown that many people suffering from depression felt much better after eating banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

If you are having trouble with stress, potassium-rich banana can help you. Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance. When you are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Another fruit that people should eat is papaya. Its pulp is basically very sweet in taste, fiberless and refreshing. Some liken the flavor to melon and apricot. It is used in salads, pies, sherbets, juices, jam, jelly and confectionery.

"Low in calories and full of nutrition, papaya has more vitamin C than an orange," says Amy Tousman, a registered dietitian based in Hawaii. "It's loaded with vitamin A, potassium, folate and fiber. It also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, substances which help protect our eyes from age-related blindness."

Likewise, papaya helps in the prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetes and heart disease. Folic acid found in papaya is needed for the conversion of a substance called homocysteine, an amino acid. If unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and if levels get too high, it is considered a significant risk factor to heart attack and strokes.

Papaya is also a good source of fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels and helps in easing the discomforts constipation. The fiber is able to bind to cancer toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells.

In addition, vitamins C and E found in papaya are all associated with reduced risk of colon cancer. The pigment in the fruit called carotene is similar to that of carrots and squash. Carotene in food is converted into vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight. Papaya is also an ideal food for those with difficulty chewing and those who are smoking.

In Mindanao, particularly in Davao, one of the most popular fruits is the durian. The Muslims claim it rejuvenates fertility (which is why is known as an aphrodisiac). It is called the king of fruits because in Hindu-influenced; it was reserved only for royalty.

Durian, described as "the fruit that smells like hell but tastes like heaven," contains a high amount of sugar, vitamin C, potassium, and the amino acid tryptophan, and is a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

In Malaysia, a decoction of durian leaves and roots are used as an antipyretic. The leaf juice is applied on the head of a fever patient. Just a warning: Discover magazine reported an incident where a woman with preexisting renal failure ate a durian and ended up critically ill from potassium overdose.

Another fruit grown mostly in Mindanao is the mangosteen. The fruit hull of mangosteen has been used for many years as a medicine for treatment of skin infection, wounds, and diarrhea in Southeast Asia.

In her book, Fruits of Warm Climates, Julia F. Morton wrote: "Dried fruits are shipped from Singapore to Calcutta and to China for medicinal use. The sliced and dried rind is powdered and administered to overcome dysentery. Made into an ointment, it is applied on eczema and other skin disorders. The rind decoction is taken to relieve diarrhea and cystitis and is applied externally as an astringent lotion. A portion of the rind is steeped in water overnight and the infusion given as a remedy for chronic diarrhea in adults and children."

Outside Asia, mangosteen is completely unknown. Recently, however, the fruit receives some popularity in the Western countries because of its medical properties. Dr. James Duke, who worked for the United States Department of Agriculture for 35 years, mangosteen has over 138 beneficial properties including antioxidants and Xanthones, a unique biological compound that can kill cancer cells.

Extensive research on mangosteen juice has been conducted in countries worldwide over the past years and revealed the benefits gained from drinking mangosteen juice. Reportedly, mangosteen juice can combat Parkinson's disease, fungal and viral ailments, aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Fruits, anyone?

Noni Fruit Juice has many natural healing wonders - check it out now!

Juicers Explained

A juicer is a kitchen appliance, which is designed to extract juice from fruits and vegetables. Most juicers can also be used to make fruit drinks, and a high quality juicer can be a very useful addition to a kitchen. Many consumers engage in juicing because they believe that it will enhance their health by increasing the amount of vitamins and minerals that they consume. In addition, juicing is fast and relatively easy, especially if you keep fruits and veggies prepared, so it can provide a quick meal or snack.

There are three main types of juicers. They differ by how they extract and separate the juice from the pulp. Some juicers are better suited for fruit and some are better suited for vegetables. There is no single juicer that performs all juicing operations at the same level. One of the best sources of juicers is at Breville Juicers.xtz.cc.

A masticating juicer chews up the fruits and vegetables, which are pushed through it, extracting juice while retaining some fiber as well. Many masticating juicers can be used to make nut butters, pureed foods, and fruit sorbets as well. A masticating juicer tends to be slow, because it extracts as much usable material from the food being fed through it, and it will produce juice, rather than a blended drink like a smoothie. These juicers are suitable for making wheat grass and carrot juice, two popular dietary supplements. Some consumers maintain that the quality of juice is higher with a masticating juicer, although it takes longer.

A centrifugal juicer spins blades around at high speed. The blades often resemble a grater, and are designed to quickly extract juice while routing the pulp out the back of the juicer and into a waste container. Typically, the blades are covered by an enclosure, with a hole to feed fruits and vegetables through. Centrifugal juicers are more suited to whole fruits and vegetables, and do not work as well with leafy greens. The juice produced tends to be light and tasty, although it does not have as much fiber as juice from a masticating juicer.

The Centrifugal machine first grinds the fruit and vegetables then pushes them through the strainer by spinning at a very high rpm (similar to your washing machine on the spin cycle). This method usually yields a little more volume of juice. The Omega 1000 & 4000 and Juiceman II are centrifugal machines. Most juicers sold on the market are centrifugal). Optional citrus attachments are available for the Omega 1000 and Omega 4000 juicers that allow juicing of citrus fruits without peeling.

Single Gear (Masticating) Juicers use a single gear or auger that literally chews fruit and vegetable fibers and breaks up the plant cells, resulting in more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. Masticating juicers are very capable at juicing most fruits and vegetables, and they will also extract juice from wheat grass, spinach, and other leafy greens and herbs. Note: the Champion Juicer does not juice wheat grass or greens well).

The Triturating (twin gear) machine, which turns at a slower rpm, has a two-step process. The first step crushes the fruits and vegetables, while the second step presses the juice. This process gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. These juicers also have magnetic and bio-ceramic technology that slows down the oxidation process, which is good if you want to make and store your juice. These juicers are excellent for juicing leafy greens, wheat grass, sprouts, root vegetables like beets and carrots and most water dense (non-pulpy) fruits. Juicing time is longer with twin gear juicers due to the slower juicing process, which gives you a higher quality juice.

But here's the really interesting part — you can replace the screen with a solid plate and instead of apple juice, get applesauce; or you can put in nuts and get nut butter. And when the peanut butter you've just made sticks to the roof of your mouth, you know what you can do? Wash it down with some freshly made Granny Smith apple juice. With a smidgen of imagination, you can turn your juicer into a one-stop snack bar — not a bad return on a couple of hundred bucks.

Juicers are a great addition to your raw food kitchen, but not all juicers are created equally. A centrifugal juicer (the common spinning basket type) adds lots of oxygen to your juice (thus detracting nutrients), is very wasteful, and cannot juice drier produce like parsley, wheat grass, or ginger very effectively. The best type of juicer to buy is a masticating or "homogenizing” juicer, such as a GreenLife. These juicers have slow moving parts (less heat) that "chew” up fruits and vegetables, extracting the maximum amount of juice from just about anything. Another advantage is that you can run nuts and seeds through these machines to make delicious nutmeats and nut butters. Masticating juicers are much more expensive than centrifugal juicers, but well worth the investment.

Twin gear juicers operate by pressing food between two interlocking roller gears. This juicing process yields a larger volume of juice and extracts more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. Twin gear juicers do more than just extract juice, they homogenize to make baby foods, nut butters, fruit sorbets and many have attachments for making pasta and rice cakes.

Quality of parts: The lowest priced juicers have more plastic than metal. Not only is metal a stronger material, but plastic also tends to stain over time especially with vegetables like carrots and fruits like tomatoes.

Wheat grass Juicers are made exclusively for extracting the juice from wheat grass and other leafy greens, as well as some soft fruits like grapes. Wheat grass juicers are not made for extracting juice from vegetables and most fruits. Wheat grass juicers are available in both electric and manual models.

When shopping for a citrus juicer, here are some popular features to consider. Many come with a large reservoir to catch the juice and pour directly from the container. Many have a variable pulp control so that the juice can be made to be more or less pulpy. Some electric models will spin the juicing cone in forward and reverse directions in order to get the most juice from the fruit. Some come with different sizes of juicing cone to accommodate different sizes of fruit such as small limes and large grapefruit. Citrus juicers can range in price from around $20 to over $100.

Vegetables have fibrous, "tough" cell walls, requiring more aggressive mechanical juicing action than fruit. If you want to juice MOSTLY vegetables and some fruits, the above listed centrifugal and centrifugal-ejection juicers are fast and easy to clean and do a good job with most vegetables as well as fruits. Where they have trouble is with wheat grass and leafy greens.

The Champion juicers can juice almost every type of vegetable efficiently. They do have some trouble with leafy vegetables and stringy vegetables like celery. By blocking off the juice spout (with the blank or solid plate), the Champion can be used as a homogenizer to make such foods as raw applesauce, tomato sauce and baby food. It can make peanut butter or other nut butters. It also makes wonderful ice cream-like desserts from raw frozen bananas and other fruits. By assembling the Champion without the blank or juicing screen, it can be used as a grater or to make shave ice. The Champion's do not juice wheat grass but do a better job with fruits than the single-auger and twin-gear juicers (which are better at leafy greens and also juice wheat grass). Noni Juice is very healthy for your immune system and also as a weight loss product.

Important Noni Juice Health Benefits

The noni or morinda plant is a tropical evergreen tree that grows to about 10 feet tall in Tahiti and other Pacific Islands, as well as in parts of Asia, Australia, South America and the Caribbean. It bears a fruit about the size of a potato that starts out green, then ripens into yellow or white. The juice, fruit, bark, and leaves are used in herbal remedies and Polynesian folk medicine.

There is no reliable clinical evidence that noni juice is effective in preventing or treating cancer or any other disease in humans. Although animal and laboratory studies have shown some positive effects, human studies are just getting started. Research is also going on to isolate various compounds found in the noni plant so that further testing can be done to find out if they may be useful in humans.

Ingredients: Morinda citrifolia fruit juice from pure noni pure from French Polynesia, natural grape juice concentrate, natural blueberry juice concentrate, and natural flavors. Not made from dried or powdered Morinda citrifolia.

Proponents claim that the noni fruit and its juice can be used to treat cancer, diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, high blood pressure, HIV, rheumatism, psoriasis, allergies, infection, and inflammation. Some believe that the fruit can relieve sinus infections, menstrual cramps, arthritis, ulcers, sprains, injuries, depression, senility, poor digestion, atherosclerosis, addiction, colds, flu, and headaches. It is further claimed that the juice can heal scratches on the cornea of the eye. There is no reliable clinical evidence in the available medical literature to support these claims.

In India, proponents use noni as a remedy for asthma and dysentery, and folk healers in the Pacific islands use it for many types of illness. In the United States, some noni juice distributors promote it as a general tonic, stress reliever, facial and body cleanser, and a dietary and nutritional supplement.

Parts of the noni plant are used as a juice, a tonic, a poultice, and in tea. Tea made from leaves of the plant is used as a remedy for tuberculosis, arthritis, rheumatism, and anti-aging. The leaves and bark are sometimes made into a liquid tonic for urinary complaints and muscle or joint pain. The juice, which has an unpleasant taste and odor, is used on the scalp as a treatment for head lice. The unripe noni fruit is mashed together with salt and applied on cuts and broken bones. Ripe fruit is used as a poultice for facial blemishes or as a remedy for skin sores, boils, or infections.

In the United States, noni products are sold in various forms including juice, extract, powder, capsules (nutritional supplements and diet aids), facial cleansers, bath gels, and soaps. Noni juice is usually mixed with other juices and flavorings before drinking to hide its unpleasant taste. Noni distributors and Internet sites selling the juice or supplements often recommend that they be taken on an empty stomach.