Variety comparisons and diverse culinary forms, such as juices or dried extracts, determine the nutritional value and physiological impact of plant-based diets on systemic health.
Farmers harvest bright, glossy red currants off bushes when they are ripe, then rush them to market while they're still fresh. Cooks use red currants in a variety of dishes. As ingredients, red currants are as nutritious as they are versatile -- fat-free, low-calorie and packed with vitamin C.
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The delicious Honeycrisp apple places regularly as one of the best apples in sensory evaluations conducted by the University of Minnesota. This tasty apple, characterized by a distinctive yellow background overlaid with mottled red, is excellent for salads, sauces and raw.
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Pomegranates are a sweet fruit with a hint of tartness that originally grew in tropical Asia. Pomegranate molasses is a simple concoction of pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice. Therefore, you can get the same health benefits from pomegranate molasses as you can from pomegranate juice.
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Sweet corn is one of the most popular vegetables. It is loved by adults and children alike because of its sweet flavor. This vegetable, although being sweet and delicious, is a great source or many vitamins and minerals. According to WHFoods.
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With their vibrant, deep red color and tart but sweet taste, dried cherries make for a flavorful addition to your diet.
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One of the most nutritious root vegetables, sweet potatoes are high in vitamins and minerals essential for healthy growth and cell development. Even when mashed as a side dish or pie filling, plain sweet potatoes lose none of their nutritional value.
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Vitamin B12 is a B complex vitamin containing cobalt, nutritionally known as cobalamin. The single source of vitamin B12 is bacteria that synthesize it in meat, dairy products and eggs.
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Apples, a member of the rose family, are low in calories and are fat-, sodium- and cholesterol-free. About 2,500 varieties are grown throughout the United States, according to the University of Illinois Extension.
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Once used to protect the privacy of Adam and Eve and adorn the bodies of Greeks and Romans, fig leaves are most commonly known for their spiritual and mythical symbolism. Although these large leaves do serve as adequate body coverings, they can also be transformed into a delectable dish.
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Roasting vegetables is a healthy way to serve them because it doesn't require large amounts of oil or butter to do. However, cooking vegetables at very high temperatures can sometime result in nutrient loss, but doing it the right way preserves the nutrition of the vegetables without sacrificing flavor.
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Alfalfa sprouts, usually eaten raw, can be dangerous to consume if you are pregnant, a child or elderly, due to the dangers of salmonella, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you prepare raw sprouts correctly, you can reduce your risk of food-borne illness.
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The grapefruit is a citrus fruit related to the orange. The number of calories in one whole grapefruit varies according to its size and type, but overall, this tangy fruit is relatively low in calories. Typically eaten raw and fresh, or juiced, grapefruit boasts several nutritional and health benefits.
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Blood oranges are close cousins to the more common supermarket varieties of orange. Their main difference lies in their pigmented pulp, which can vary from deep orange speckled with red to a solid reddish-purple hue. The pigment is provided by a compound called anthocyanin.
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Most fruit is a healthy choice, low in fat and calories, but some fruit is high in calories and should only be consumed in moderation. Even high-calorie fruit holds many nutritional benefits, however.
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Limes provide many health benefits, some well known and others that are not as obvious. Originally grown in India, they are cousin to the lemon and became popular in Europe, moving to the United States as the population grew. They are grown in Florida, California and the Southwest regions of the United States.
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Jicama is a root vegetable that resembles a very large potato or brown turnip. When eaten raw, it has a mild flavor with a crisp texture, not unlike an unripe pear. Eat it raw, sprinkled with salt and lime juice, or use it as a vehicle for dips from ranch dressing to hummus.
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Fall is prime season for juicy, crisp and golden-colored Asian pears, also known as apple pears, sand pears or Chinese pears. Unlike with other pear varieties, you don’t have to wait until Asian pears are soft -- you can enjoy them when they’re crisp, right from the store.
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Prunes are known for their contribution to healthy bowel habits. This benefit was outlined by a 2011 article in "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics," in which the authors concluded that prunes were more effective than psyllium fiber at relieving constipation.
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The United States Department of Agriculture recommends adults get 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruit per day and raisins are an inexpensive, easy and portable food that can help you meet that requirement. Raisins are dried grapes and both provide you with the same nutrients, but the nutrients in raisins are more concentrated.
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Black cherry, or prunus serotina rosaceae, is part of the rose family. It shares the same benefits of other cherries such as bing, royal Ann and red cherries. Black cherries supply a good source of vitamins, provide powerful antioxidants and reduce inflammation, according to a study in a 2003 issue of "
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