Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Aloe Vera Juice Benefits You Need Now
More than 200 worldwide scientific research documents have been published on the effects of Aloe Vera. The three main categories of research include anti-inflammatory, anti- bacterial, and anti-viral actions of Aloe Vera. The juice is said to soothe digestive tract irritations such as colitis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. Aloe's ability to encourage the release of pepsin, a gastric juice enzyme necessary for digestion, when the stomach is full is a possible reason for its ulcer-healing effects. In one study, oral use of Aloe for six months helped mitigate asthma symptoms in almost half of the participants. Eleven of twenty-seven patients studied who drank Aloe reported feeling better at the end of the study. Researchers think that results might be due to stimulation of the immune system, as well as naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agents in Aloe Vera.
In 1994, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Aloe Vera juice for the treatment of HIV. On-going studies worldwide show that Aloe taken in highly concentrated doses can stimulate the production of white blood cells that may help fight viruses and also tumors.
Suggested Properties: Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and energy tonic
Indicated for: Digestive tract irritations such as colitis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, cleansing stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder and colon, arthritis, asthma, bladder and kidney infections, cancer, constipation, diverticular disorders, hemorrhoids, heartburn, heart disease, HIV, immune stimulation, indigestion, insomnia, kidney disease, leg cramps, leukemia, skin health, stomach distress, tumors, Vaginitis, vaginal douche, viruses, white blood cell production and general health tonic.
Aloe Vera juice benefits contains protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, B12 and E, essential fatty acids and is naturally rich in:
Vitamin C that helps maintain tone of blood vessels and promotes good circulation and is essential to the health of the adrenal gland which supports our body in times of stress.
Amino acids are chains of atoms that construct protein in our system.
Digestive enzymes, which are the life-principle in every live, organic atom and molecule of natural raw food, rejuvenate aged tissues and promote healthy skin.
Germanium, that is a mineral that some health authorities claim therapeutic benefits for: immunodeficiency, pain, cardiac disorders, circulatory disturbances and eye problems.
Aloe Vera juice benefits are stated to be one of the finest body cleansers, cleaning morbid matter from the stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, and is considered the finest, known colon cleanser. Studies have shown that it is healing and soothing in the relief of indigestion, stomach distress and ulcers. People claim relief from arthritis, bladder and kidney infections; leg cramps, constipation, hemorrhoids, insomnia, and for Vaginitis, it is said to be an fantasticvaginal douche. An excellent internal tonic for energy and well being Aloe juice may add greatly to the strength of the food fed, digestive tract, skin, and overall good health and happiness.
This is also used to lessen heartburn, ulcers, diverticular disorders, and other types of digestive upset. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and may be taken internally as a remedy for certain digestive complaints. European folk medicine calls for using Aloe Vera juice benefits to relieve heartburn and ulcers. Preliminary research has shown promising results. Clinical trials in Japan indicate that certain compounds in Aloe Vera reduce the secretion of stomach juices and also the formation of lesions.
Animal studies and anecdotal reports claim that drinking Aloe Vera juice or taking it as a tablet or capsule can reduce swelling and inflammation in arthritic joints. Drinking Aloe Vera juice benefits those asthmatic patients who are not dependent on corticosteroids.
In 1997, University of San Antonio investigator Jeremiah Herlihy, Ph.D., conducted a study to observe any negative effects of drinking Aloe daily. Rather than exhibiting bad effects, however, test animals receiving daily Aloe showed a remarkable reduction in leukemia, heart disease, and kidney disease. Dr. Herlihy concluded, "They found no indication of harm done to the rats even at high levels." In truth, the Aloe-drinking animals actually lived 25 percent longer than those in the control group.
There is no single ingredient that causes Aloe Vera potent and healthful. Researcher Robert Davis, Ph.D., an endocrinologist-biologist, explains that fifteen different compound groups of nutrients work together to make the plant effective. The following means that Aloe Vera's effects can not be synthesized easily in a laboratory. On the upside, this makes the plant useful across a wide spectrum of circumstances. And because the various components that make Aloe effective are nutrients rather than drug treatments, Aloe vera juice may complement medical treatments. In fact some cancer sufferers state that Aloe Vera seems to reduce nausea, increase energy, and may help to minimize low blood counts caused by chemotherapy or radiation.
Aloe Vera juice helps adults, children, and even pets receive more value from daily meals along with supplements.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
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.