Food-ographies

Super foods like those in the Beyond Organics Raw supplements are packed with health building properties. Take a closer at what makes these ingredients so amazing..

Acerola Cherry: A bright-red tropical fruit. Less than an inch in diameter with two or three hard seeds. Juicy. As sour as it is sweet. Acerola juice contains 32 times more vitamin C than orange juice. It also has one of the highest antioxidant potencies.
Blueberry: Dark-blue berries from a flowering plant. Sweet. Blueberries have a diverse range of micronutrients, including high levels of essential manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fiber. Blueberries also contain antioxidant pigments and various phytochemicals that help reduce risks of diseases, inflammation and cancers. Studies have shown that blueberries can help lower cholesterol and blood lipid levels. Other studies have shown blueberries may help with Alzheimer’s disease, hepatitis C and urinary tract infections.
Broccoli Sprouts: Young broccoli plants that look like alfalfa sprouts. It tastes like a radish because of a phytochemical that acts as an antioxidant. In the 1990s broccoli sprouts became a popular dietary staple after a cancer-fighting phytochemical was isolated (glucoraphanin). Broccoli sprouts contain many nutrients, minerals and phytochemicals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, fiber, carotenoids, glutathione, indoles, monoterpenes and thiols.
Citrus: A family of fruits with a sharp flavor because of their high levels of citric acid. Examples: orange, lemon, grapefruit and lime. A good source of vitamin C and flavonoids. Historically, citruses have been used to treat scurvy, which is cased by a vitamin C deficiency.
Kale: A green or purple form of cabbage, in which the central leaves do not form a head. Contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Kale is also high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutien, zeaxanthin. It is a good source of iron, calcium and Carotenoids (which provide vitamin A). Kale is believed to contain chemicals with potent anti-cancer properties. Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common green vegetables in Europe. During World War II, the cultivation of kale was encouraged by the U.K.’s Dig for Victory campaign, because the vegetable was easy to grow and provided important nutrients to supplement a diet of rationing. In Japan, kale juice is a popular dietary supplement.
Brussels Sprouts: Has small, leafy green buds that resemble miniature cabbages. Grown possibly as early as the 1200s in what is now Belgium. Brussels sprouts contain vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. They are believed to protect against colon cancer.
Spinach: A dark-green leafy plant. Spinach is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Spinach was the favorite vegetable of Catherine de Medici. When she left her home of Florence, Italy, to marry the king of France, she brought along her own cooks to make her favorite spinach. Since this time, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as "a la Florentine."
Tomatoes: Most varieties ripen to a red color, although some to yellow or orange. Usually a sprawling plant grown to harvest its fruit. Because of its savory flavor, most people incorrectly refer to the tomato as a vegetable instead of a fruit. Tomatoes contain lycopene (a powerful natural antioxidant), carotene, anthocyanin, vitamin C and vitamin A. Tomatoes are believed to benefit the heart and help prevent prostate cancer. Its consumption is also associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer, head and neck cancers, and as a protection against neurodegenerative diseases.
Carrots: A root vegetable. Typically orange, but also purple, red, white or yellow. Has a crisp texture. Its characteristic bright orange color comes from B-carotene (which is metabolized into vitamin A). Carrots are also rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and minerals. The roots have been used to treat digestive problems, intestinal parasites, tonsillitis and constipation.
Tumeric: A perennial plant of the ginger family. In various parts of the world it is used as an antiseptic and antibacterial agent. In Asia, tumeric is taken as a dietary supplement for stomach problems. In Japan, it is popular in teas. Pakistanis use it as an anti-inflammatory agent and remedy for gastrointestinal discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Currently, tumeric is being researched for possible benefits in Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, arthritis and other biological disorders.
Ginger: A tuber. The rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale. Its characteristic odor and flavor is caused by a mixture of volatile oils that compose up to three percent of the weight of fresh ginger. These oils have been shown in studies to increase motility of the gastrointestinal tract, prevent skin cancer and kill ovarian cancer cells. Ginger has analgesic, sedative, antipyretic and antibacterial properties. The medical form of ginger was historically classified as a stimulant and carminative and used frequently for dyspepsia and colic. The FDA put ginger on its “generally recognized as safe” list. Ginger may also decrease pain from arthritis, thin the blood and have cholesterol-lowering properties that may be useful in treating heart disease. Ginger compounds have been used against a form a diarrhea. Multiple studies show that ginger is effective in treating nausea caused by seasickness, morning sickness and chemotheraphy. Historically, it has been used to treat inflammation.
Palm Fruit Oil: An edible plant oil. Naturally reddish because of its high levels of carotenes such as beta carotene and lycopene. It is the richest dietary source of provitamin A carotenes, making it a valued resource in the treatment of vitamin deficiencies that can cause blindness, weakened bones, lower immunity, and impaired learning ability and mental function. Red palm fruit oil contains a greater number of nutrients than any other dietary oil. In addition to beta carotene, alpha carotene and lycopene, it contains at least 20 other carotenes, along with vitamin E tocopherols and tocotrienols, vitamin K, CoQ10, squalene, phytosterols, flavonoids, phenolic acids and glycolipids.
Broccoli: The flowering top of a cabbage. Usually green and arranged in a tree-like fashion sprouting from a stalk. It evolved from wild cabbage in Europe. Broccoli is high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A and dietary fiber. It also contains nutrients with anti-cancer, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostrate cancer and been beneficial in heart disease prevention.
Beets: The deep-red roots of beetroot, also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet or informally simple as beet. Beets are rich in betaine, which is important for cardiovascular health. It can help reduce instances of heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Studies have shown that betaine may protect against liver disease and hypochlorhydria (by increasing stomach acidity). Beets are also high in folate. Since Roman times, beetroot juice has been considered an aphrodisiac. It is a rich source of the element boron, which plays an important role in the production of human sex hormones. From the Middle Ages, beetroot was used as a treatment for a variety of conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and the blood. The earliest written mention of the beet comes from 8th century BC Mesopotamia.