Plants are natural pharmacies and are rich in a diversity of nutrients. Many of all modern day pharmaceutical drugs have either been developed from plant compounds or are synthetic replicas of the plant molecule system. These nutrients mainly function as antioxidants but they also help to regulate the gene function in the plants and also in animals that actually eat them. These nutrients have played a major role in human nutrition also, for example herbs have often provided a much needed boost during illness.
Many herbs contain elements that regulate glucose and indirectly, insulin levels. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), also known as bitter gourd, balsam pear and karela, has been used by traditional healers for a variety of medicinal purposes, including the treatment of diabetes. Read more…
Did you know the Incas valued not only gold as a metal, but also a golden grain? Actually, it’s not a true grain, but a seed classified in the pseudocereal family. Quinoa (keen wah) is the seed of the goosefoot plant and rich in nutrients. The Incas have used this food in their diet for 6,000 years.
Quinoa is grown in the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains. It is also being grown in Canada and the United States, but most quinoa is imported from Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It can only be grown at high elevations.
The Incas valued quinoa second only to the potato for nutrition. Spanish explorers and colonists destroyed the quinoa crops and forced the Incas to stop growing it. It was kept alive by isolated farmers throughout the last few centuries and grew back into popularity. In the 1980’s, 2 farmers from Colorado learned about quinoa from a Bolivian and began experimenting with it.
Quinoa is an important addition to the diet of those who have trouble digesting grains. Quinoa is gluten free and easy to digest. It is high in protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids, classified as a complete protein. Vegans and vegetarians will enjoy adding this grain to many recipes. It is rich in manganese, magnesium, iron, tryptophan, copper and phosphorus. It has many of the B vitamins as well.
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