Tap Into the Health Powers of Garlic { courtecy;- medicineNet.com )

FEATURED NEWS Tap Into the Health Powers of Garlic Garlic, an ingredient found in almost every cuisine, has emerged as a superfood.

By Len Canter
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, July 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- As scientists look into the effects of diet on health, they're finding that more and more everyday foods offer benefits that go well beyond making dishes tastier.

Garlic, an ingredient found in almost every cuisine, has emerged as one such superfood.

Part of the allium family, which includes onions and leeks, garlic has a number of compounds that supply its health-boosting effects as well as its pungent aroma. According to wide-ranging research, garlic can seemingly improve immunity and heart health, possibly help prevent as well as fight certain cancers, and lower triglycerides and total cholesterol. Its many compounds include antioxidants and allicin, which has anti-bacterial properties, researchers report.

Some of these benefits can be seen after eating just one meal with raw garlic. Yet overall there's enough evidence to have at least half of a clove every day.

To get the most benefits, first chop, slice or crush fresh garlic -- this fires up a process that makes its compounds more potent. Wait 5 to 10 minutes before eating or using in a dish, especially if you'll be mixing it with a highly acidic food like lemon juice.

Here are some easy ways to use raw garlic:

• Mash into avocado for guacamole.
• Blend into Caesar salad dressing.
• Puree with chickpeas for hummus or with white beans for bean dip.

But you don't have to always eat it raw. As long as the garlic is prepped as suggested and added toward the end of a recipe, you can cook it and it will retain its nutritional value.

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Health Tip: Eat Whole Grains

(HealthDay News) -- Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet and can help reduce your risk of developing some chronic diseases.

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Grains are a source of fiber, several B vitamins, and minerals such as iron, magnesium and selenium, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says.

The agency mentions these possible advantages to adding more grains to your diet:

• May reduce your risk of heart disease.
• May reduce constipation.
• May help you better manage your weight.
• If fortified with folate, may help prevent neural tube defects during fetal development.

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Health Tip: Understanding Caffeine

(HealthDay News) -- Many people won't start the day without a cup of coffee.

Caffeine, the stimulant found in coffee, isn't harmful for most people who drink 400 milligrams (mg) or less each day, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.The average 8 oz. cup of coffee contains 95 to 200 mg of caffeine, while a 12-ounce energy drink contains 70 to 100 mg.

If you're pregnant, breast-feeding or have conditions including anxiety, ulcers or irregular heartbeat, you probably should limit intake or avoid caffeine altogether, the agency advises.

Here's the NLM's assessment of how caffeine affects the body:

• It stimulates the central nervous system, which can make you feel more awake and give you a boost of energy.
• It is a diuretic, which helps your body get rid of extra salt and water by causing you to urinate more.
• It increases the release of acid in your stomach, which can trigger an upset stomach or heartburn.
• It may interfere with the body's absorption of calcium.
• It increases blood pressure.

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Health Tip: Get More Dietary Fiber

(HealthDay News) -- Fiber -- derived from plant-based foods -- has a number of health benefits including aiding digestion, helping you feel fuller longer and helping to curb overeating, the American Academy of Family Physicians says.

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Depending on your age and gender, you should get between 21 grams and 38 grams of fiber daily.

Here are the academy's suggestions for getting more fiber in your diet:

• Eat at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables each day.
• Eat whole-grain bread instead of refined white bread and brown rice instead of white rice.
• Read nutrition labels to find out how much dietary fiber is in your food.
• Add wheat bran to food such as cooked cereal, applesauce or meatloaf.
• Eat 1/2 cup of cooked beans, such as navy, kidney, pinto, black, lima or white beans.

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Health Tip: Understanding Antioxidants

(HealthDay News) -- Antioxidants are substances in food that may delay or prevent some types of cell damage.

Fruit and vegetables are prime sources of antioxidants, which include vitamin C, selenium and beta-carotene, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) says.

Antioxidant supplements, on the other hand, actually may be harmful -- especially if they contain high doses, the agency says. Such supplements may conflict with certain medications and in some cases have been linked to conditions such as hemmorrhagic stroke and prostate cancer.While antioxidants haven't been shown definitively to prevent disease, studies have shown that people who eat more fruit and veggies may be at lower risk of developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, the NIH says.

So eat lots of fruit and veggies, but don't take axtioxidant supplements as an alternative to a healthy diet, the agency advises.

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Fukushima Fallout in Some California Wines: Study

Some California red wines contain small amounts of radioactive particles from the 2011 meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, but the affected wines don't pose a health risk.

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After the meltdown, a radioactive cloud drifted across the Pacific Ocean to California. Researchers wondered whether that cloud led to wines with higher levels of a radioactive isotope called cesium-137, CNN reported.

They tested two well-known types of California wines -- ros and Cabernet sauvignon -- made between 2009 and 2012. Some of the wines made after 2011 had twice as much cesium-137 as wines made before 2011.

The study was submitted July 11 to the Cornell University Library.

But there's no reason to avoid California wines, because the World Health Organization says the amount of radioactive material that spread to other countries after the Fukushima meltdown is much lower than what people are exposed to normally, CNNreported.

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