“Out of the five anti-oxidant qualities tested, cloves had the greatest ability to give off hydrogen, reduced lipid peroxidation well, and was the most effective iron reducer,” says Juana Fernandez-Lopez, one of the writers of the research and a researcher at the UMH.

Lipid peroxidation is actually the method in which free radicals acquire electrons from the lipids in cell walls. The end outcome of this progression is usually cellular deterioration. The fact that cloves assist to stop this destructive cycle is one that helped drive them to first position. Furthermore, the capability to reduce iron is yet another profound attribute of cloves.

Iron deficiencies are quite simple to treat with adequate supplementation or nutritional changes, but too much iron within the body can be very challenging to handle. Many people have problems with too much iron in the blood stream, and many of which suffer from hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is actually a serious condition that is a result of untreated iron overload. Hemochromatosis can lead to rheumatoid arthritis, abnormal liver function, diabetes, or even heart failure and is a serious issue for people with Sickle cell.

Another goal of the research is to convince big companies to start introducing cloves to their food products. Cloves are very inexpensive and have been a key part of the Mediterranean eating habits for hundreds of years.

“The final results show that use of the natural anti-oxidants found in spices used in the Mediterranean diet, or their extracts, is a workable option for the food industry, as long as the organoleptic characteristics of the food item are not affected”, adds Juana.

Cloves may be what people are looking for when it comes to getting an inexpensive and useful spice.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of macular degeneration or AMD, usually referred to as “wet” and “dry”. This is not a description of what the eye feels like but what the ophthalmologist (eye specialist) can see when looking at the macula.

“Dry” AMD is the most common form of the condition. It develops very slowly causing gradual loss of central vision. Many people find that vision slowly deteriorates by gradual central blurring, and that the colours fade away like the colours fading in an old photograph. There is no medical treatment for this type. However, aids such as magnifiers can be helpful with reading and other small detailed tasks.

“Wet” AMD results in new blood vessels growing behind the retina, this causes bleeding and scarring, which can lead to sight loss. “Wet” AMD can develop quickly and sometimes responds to treatment in the early stages. It accounts for about 10 per cent of all people with AMD.

Both “wet” and “dry” AMD usually involve both eyes, although one may be affected long before the other. This sometimes makes the condition difficult to notice at first because the sight in the “good” eye is compensating for the loss of sight in the affected eye. You cannot wear out your sight, so do not be afraid to continue to use the “good” eye as normal.

And now the good news

AMD is not painful, and almost never leads to total blindness. It is the most common cause of poor sight in people over 60 but very rarely leads to complete sight loss because only the central vision is affected. This means that almost everyone with AMD will have enough side (or peripheral) vision to get around and keep his or her independence.

Symptoms of AMD

In the early stages your central vision may be blurred or distorted, with objects looking an unusual size or shape and straight lines appearing wavy or fuzzy. This may happen quickly or develop over several months. You may be very sensitive to light or actually see lights, shapes and colours that are not there. This may cause occasional discomfort. AMD is not painful.

Because AMD affects the centre of the retina, people with the advanced condition will often notice a blank patch or dark spot in the centre of their sight. This makes reading, writing and recognising small objects or faces very difficult.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in people over 50 years of age, affecting an estimated 500,000 people in the UK. Of 976 patients aged 75 and over with loss of vision in one eye, the main medical causes were AMD (53%) and cataract (36%). Those who suffer its blinding effects lose their central vision, which is needed for reading, driving, and every day activities. The most important confirmed risk factors are.

• INCREASING AGE
• GENDER  – Women seem more likely to develop macular degeneration than men.
• A FAMILY HISTORY OF AMD
• LOW MACULAR PIGMENT LEVELS
• SMOKING
• OBESITY
• HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
• SUNLIGHT – Some research suggests that lifetime exposure to sunlight may affect the retina. It is a good idea to wear sunglasses to protect the eyes.
• NUTRITION – Research suggests some vitamins and minerals can help protect against AMD.

With new scientific research, there is compelling evidence that people with low pigment levels are at risk later in life. It has been advised that people have their macula pigment levels checked from the age of 30 years onwards. Any protection that macula pigment may provide against AMD will need to be exerted in the middle years of life because protective macula pigment depletes with age.

The pigment is made up of 3 dietary components, known as lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin. Macula pigment is yellow in colour and therefore absorbs high-energy blue wavelength light. Lutein and zeaxanthin are potent antioxidants and therefore protect against the damage caused by free radical oxidisation, so it is perhaps unsurprising that this pigment protects the central macula from the ageing process.

Why is Meso-Zeaxanthin so vital?

Meso-zeaxanthin is the 3rd component of the macula pigment and is only found at the very centre of the macula where vision is sharpest. Meso-zeaxanthin is obtained by the conversion of lutein to meso-zeaxanthin in the macula. It is not found in a typical diet. Meso-zeaxanthin is being recognised as a more powerful neutraliser of free radicals and protector of the central macula than lutein or zeaxanthin.

Supplementation with meso-zeaxanthin will ensure that this component of macular pigment accumulates at the target tissue (i.e. the central macula) in a way not dependent on an enzyme to convert lutein to meso-zeaxanthin. Indeed, such an enzyme may be lacking in some individuals.

Eat Your 5 serving of fruit and vegetables daily

- if not think about a supplement

If you ever feel tempted to go for a burger, fries and a soft drink, consider this: along with the fast food, you are ordering up an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. But the opposite is true, too. According to a new University of Florida (UF) study, if you stay away from processed and fast foods and instead eat a lot of veggies, nuts and fruits, you will actively be helping to prevent or reverse harmful metabolic processes in your body. The result? Better health and a slimmer body.

An important advantage to having plant-based foods as an abundant part of your daily diet appears to result from the phytochemicals they contain. As noted in the UF findings recently published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, these natural substances prevent oxidative stress — a process linked to being overweight and to the onset of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Phytochemicals include lycopene from tomatoes, isoflavones from soy, beta carotene from carrots, anthocyanins from blueberries, allicin from garlic, and many more.

Without enough phytochemicals and antioxidants to counteract oxidative stress, damaging free radicals cause inflammation and other toxic problems in the body. In overweight people, excess fat tissue and certain enzymes that are more active also trigger the production of excessive free radicals, according to a media statement by the UF researchers.

The research team, headed by Heather K. Vincent, Ph.D., studied a group of 54 young adults divided into a normal weight and an overweight or obese group, analysing their dietary patterns over several days. Surprisingly, the people in both groups took in about the same amount of calories. However, the overweight and obese young people were found to be eating fewer plant-based foods. That means those who were carrying around excess pounds were consuming fewer protective trace minerals and phytochemicals and consuming far more saturated fats.

In addition, those eating less plant-based foods were found to have higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in their bodies than their normal-weight counterparts. This is a crucial finding because oxidative stress and inflammation are processes clearly associated with the onset of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and joint disease.

“Diets low in plant-based foods affect health over the course of a long period of time,” Dr. Vincent explained in a statement to the press. “This is related to annual weight gain, inflammation and oxidative stress. Those are the onset processes of disease that debilitate people later in life.”

“People who are obese need more fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholesome unrefined grains,” she said. “In comparison to a normal-weight person, an obese person is always going to be behind the eight ball because there are so many adverse metabolic processes going on.”

In order to get enough protective phytochemicals daily, the UF researchers concluded that people should try to consume plant-based foods such as leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes at the start of each meal. As a way to encourage people to get enough phytochemicals from meals and snacks, Dr. Vincent also called for use of a phytochemical index, which compares the number of calories consumed from plant-based, nutrient-rich foods with the overall number of calories taken in each day.

“Fill your plate with colourful, low-calorie, varied-texture foods derived from plants first. By slowly eating phytochemical-rich foods such as salads with olive oil or fresh-cut fruits before the actual meal, you will likely reduce the overall portion size, fat content and energy intake. In this way, you’re ensuring that you get the variety of protective, disease-fighting phytochemicals you need and controlling caloric intake,” said Vincent, an assistant professor in the UF Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute, in the media statement.

Adapted from an article by S. L. Baker, features writer  (NaturalNews)

If you would like to obtain the best scientifically proven Antioxidant Formula which, in studies, has raised the serum antioxidant level more than anything or any marketed product then e mail us

Besides being one of the best sources to go to for a healthy dose of monounsaturated fat – a key nutrient for lowering cholesterol levels – olive oil is something of a medical marvel. It’s always been known as a healthy oil, but only recently have we come to know just what it is specifically about olive oil that makes it so darn healthy.

For starters, olive oil – particularly extra virgin olive oil – is very high in antioxidants, one in particular called DHPEA-EDA. When researchers exposed red blood cells under oxidative stress to this and other antioxidants, they found that the DHPEA-EDA provided the best “stress-alleviation,” if you will, fighting off the free radicals to a greater extent than the three other antioxidant compounds used in the study.

Writing in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, the researchers say their findings give nutritionists the first glimpse of what makes olive oil so medically marvelous. But a new study linking extra virgin olive oil to Alzheimer’s disease prevention suggests there’s even more to olive oil than meets the eye.

It’s called oleocanthal, and it’s a natural compound found in rich supply in extra virgin olive oil. Some say oleocanthal is what gives olive oil its “peppery bite,” but the only bite researchers were recently concerned with was whether it could take a bite out of Alzheimer’s disease.

The answer? You bet it can!

Writing in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, researchers said the oleocanthal in olive oil binds to toxic proteins that clog the synapses on the hippocampus, which is the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease onset. The hippocampus is the section of the brain that’s most adversely affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Now, this study was not clinical, but researchers believe that future studies investigating olive oil’s ties to Alzheimer’s prevention will include humans. In the meantime, if history is any guide, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if yet another study comes out pointing to yet another aspect of olive oil that makes it so medically marvelous.

It is generally recommended that people consume about two tablespoons worth of olive oil for maximum health benefit. And to reap the benefits of as many antioxidants as possible, purchase extra virgin olive oil, being sure to store it in an area that’s not well lit. A study published in New Scientist found that extra virgin olive oils lost at least 30 percent of their antioxidant content after one year of storage in a well-lit area.

You can choose your teas with your health in mind. Here is some great research on the antioxidant power that green and black teas provide.

Green Tea, Black Tea: Packed With Antioxidants

Read the tea leaves, caffeine lovers. Tea is gaining ground over coffee. Even Starbucks is bucking up its tea menu. The health benefits of tea are one compelling reason: Green and black teas have 10 times the amount of antioxidants found in fruits and veggies, by one estimate.

Studies of humans and animals show that the antioxidants in black and green teas are highly beneficial to our health, says 82-year-old John Weisburger, PhD, senior researcher at the Institute for Cancer Prevention in Valhalla , N.Y.

“I’ve published more than 500 papers, including a hell of a lot on tea,” says Weisburger, who drinks 10 cups daily. “I was the first American researcher to show that tea modifies the metabolism to detoxify harmful chemicals.”

Green tea, black tea, and oolong tea — they all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The leaves are simply processed differently, explains Weisburger. Green tea leaves are not fermented; they are withered and steamed. Black tea and oolong tea leaves undergo a crushing and fermenting process.

All teas from the camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. These wonder nutrients scavenge for cell-damaging free radicals in the body and detoxify them, says Weisburger. “Astounding” aptly describes tea’s antioxidant power, he tells WebMD. “Whether it’s green or black, tea has about eight to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables.”

Black and green both have different types of antioxidants than fruits and vegetables. Thearubigins, epicatechins, and catechins are among those listed in a USDA chart. All are considered flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Brewed green and black teas have loads of those, the chart shows. (Herbal teas may also contain antioxidants but less is known about them, Weisburger says.)

“In my lab, we found that green and black tea had identical amounts of polyphenols,” he tells WebMD. “We found that both types of tea blocked DNA damage associated with tobacco and other toxic chemicals. In animal studies, tea-drinking rats have less cancer.”

Look at the world’s big tea drinkers, like Japan and China . “They have much less heart disease and don’t have certain cancers that we in the Western world suffer,” says Weisburger.

“The scientific evidence about tea is evolving and I think it’s compelling,” Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University .

Tea is a great example of the past decade’s research of antioxidants, he says. “There is a pretty consistent body of evidence suggesting there is a benefit to tea. Tea is a very rich source of a specific kind of antioxidant called flavonoids.”

The detoxifying effect of these antioxidants protects cells from free radicals, the damage that can lead to blood clot formation, atherosclerosis, and cancer, says Weisburger.

The bulk of research shows that regular tea drinkers, people who drink two cups or more a day, have less heart disease and stroke, lower total and LDL (often called “bad”) cholesterol, and that they recover from heart attacks faster.

Some laboratory tests also show that black and green tea may help boost metabolism to aid weight loss, block allergic response, slow the growth of tumors, protect bones, fight bad breath, improve skin, protect against Parkinson’s disease, and even delay the onset of diabetes.

In a study involving bladder cancer cells, green tea extract seemed to make the cancer cells behave oddly. They matured sooner, bound together tightly, and had a hard time multiplying. Another study found that men who drank oolong tea plus green tea extract lost more weight and total body fat, compared with men who drank plain oolong tea. Also, the green tea drinkers had lower LDL cholesterol.

Other small studies have found that the antioxidants from drinking tea can help prevent skin cancer. There’s also evidence that tea extracts applied to the skin (in a lotion) can block sun damage that leads to skin cancer.

All this research seems to suggest that if you want to do something good for yourself, drink tea. “It has no calories and lots of polyphenols. If you’re drinking tea, you’re not drinking soda — that’s a real benefit. Water doesn’t give you those polyphenols,” says Blumberg.

Weisburger recommends drinking six to 10 cups of black or green tea throughout the day, starting with breakfast. Switch to decaf tea midday, if you need to. “Flavonoids are unchanged by removal of caffeine,” he says.

Source: WebMD Inc.