Vitamin D3 and K2: Your New Allies in Weight Loss Journey

Just the word ‘Superfoods’ makes many people sit up and take notice. Why?

What’s so special about certain foods?

Aren’t all foods important?

If we include superfoods in our diets, how might we benefit?

Can they make us healthier?

Can they help us live longer?

Can they make us live forever?

Well, maybe they can’t do the last, yet they can make a positive difference in our lives.

What are some superfoods?

Are they difficult to get?

Should we make sure that all our food is organic?

Some may question whether or not they can find organic or ‘natural’ food. Availability will depend on where they live and what they can order online.

Some areas may be restricted as to the availability, and others will have an abundance of variety.

What is organic?

• If asked what organic means to them, most people would think of food grown without pesticides. However, that is not the scientific definition of organic.

• Organic is defined as having a carbon molecule, living from a scientific standpoint. We are carbon-based creatures, and our food has to be carbon-based, as well. Because our bodies have to recognize any minerals that we ingest, carbon needs to be attached to the minerals.

• If it is not, our bodies will only recognize about 15% of the minerals; they will use that 15% and store the rest. If this happens, the stored minerals will not be used. They can build up in our joints, muscles, and organs, causing arthritis or, possibly, fibromyalgia and other problems.

• If we have enough minerals in our diets, our bodies will make all the vitamins we need, except for vitamin C. Vitamin C will always need to be got from food or supplements.

How can organic superfoods benefit our health?

Superfoods have nutrients we need to get and stay healthy. They are nutrient-dense across the board, preferably organic or ‘natural.’

If we add superfoods to our diets, we can ward off serious diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. These superfoods need to be organic and have carbon molecules.

How do minerals get a carbon molecule attached? When a substance called fulvic acid is present in the soil, it will bind carbon to the minerals that plants pull up with their root systems.

If there is no fulvic acid in the ground, this action does not occur, and the plant's minerals are inorganic. When we eat the plants’ products or the meat of animals raised on these plants, all we get are inorganic minerals that our bodies will not fully use.

What’s interesting about eating actual organic food is that our bodies will use 100% of the minerals taken in or dump any that are not needed. None are stored in the joints, muscles, or organs, so stored minerals have no backlash. Organic food is the best route to go if possible.

Are the stored minerals ever used?

1. There are liquid organic minerals with fulvic acid on the market. Some of these are very high-powered supplements.
2. Some of these minerals can help convert inorganic minerals to organic minerals with the extra fulvic acid they contain.
3. Our bodies will then use what they need and dump any excess. However, be forewarned; this is an excruciating process and can take some weeks or months for this action to be completed.
4. Taking milder organic minerals with fulvic acid and eating organic superfoods in your diet might be a wiser course.
5. How does one tell if fruits, vegetables, legumes, meats, fish, and seafood in the supermarket are ‘organic’ in the scientific sense?
6. Great question. The answer is ‘you can’t.’
7. However, if it is marked organic, you have a greater chance of getting actual organic food.
8. Genuine organic farmers will use compost and tilled crops to enrich the soil. This will attract worms and microorganisms. Fulvic acid is found where there are microorganisms and humic material.
9. Meats that are certified organic or ‘natural’ will have been fed organic food or eaten as they would in the wild. This would include fish and seafood as well.
10. Just because it is grown without pesticides, does that make it scientifically organic?
11. No, it does not. Until now, most organic food may have been scientifically organic; however, some changes may be made in what can be called organic, and we might lose that advantage.

Can fruit, vegetables, legumes, meats, fish, and seafood be scientifically organic even though not in the ‘Organic’ section of the supermarket?

(I.e. even though fruits and vegetables were raised with pesticides?)

• Possibly, but you still have the pesticides to deal with; vegetables like celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, potatoes, green beans, and kale; and fruits like apples, peaches, strawberries, nectarines, grapes, and blueberries are some of the worst in that area.

• Mass-produced food is less likely to be grown with compost and other humic material. It’s too expensive and time-consuming.

• Some fertilizers (like iron-based) will even drive off worms. And it takes at least 3 years (or more depending on the country) to get certified organic because it takes time to get rid of pesticide residue. It also takes time to enrich the soil.

• Think about a forest floor and the years of leaves and other materials that have broken down and been added to the ground.

• All of our food should be grown in that type of soil, but it will never happen with mass-produced food. Organically grown food is the best way to go. That includes meats that are certified organic or ‘natural,’ as well.

Can meats, fish, and seafood be classified as organic?

Beef, chicken, pork, and any animals fed organic food are free-range and given no growth, hormones or antibiotics could be rated as organic.

Those grass-fed, such as beef cattle or cows, have more nutritious meat and products than those strictly grain-fed. Lack of growth hormones or antibiotics in organic or ‘natural’ should decrease any risk of eating these animals.

Some fish are classified as organic. These include some that are farm-raised but in an environment where they are not in crowded pens (promoting dis-ease and the need for antibiotics), where the current is swift in carrying away wastes (that promote disease), and where the food is organic.

Seafood, such as lobster and shrimp, is not classified as organic. Becoming knowledgeable about the seafood you love to eat and the risks with certain foods, such as those with high levels of mercury or PCBs, will give you the ability to make informed decisions about whether to include them in your diet.

NOTE:

1. Not all stores have sections marked ‘organic.’ Sometimes organic or natural meats, fish, and seafood are included with the others, and their price tags are marked accordingly.
2. If you do not find any in your store, ask the meat manager if they carry any certified organic or natural meats. If they do not, search out a health food store that may have what you need or search online.

How should fruit, vegetables, legumes, meats, fats, nuts, and grains be eaten?

• Many fruits are best eaten on an empty stomach because they digest in a short- er time than proteins and starch. Melons clear the stomach in about 10 minutes, and other fruits in about 30 minutes.

• If fruits are not eaten with compatible foods, they can ferment and cause bloating and gas because of being kept in the stomach for too long.

• Vegetables are neutral foods and can be combined with meats, starches, or other vegetables. Because of the enzymes in fruits, certain fruits can digest compatible foods.

• With a meal of meat/protein and vegetables (no starch), you can add apples, apricots, blueberries, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, sour plums, raspberries, strawberries, and tangerines. Dessert could be one of these fruits with a topping of yogurt.

• With a meal of vegetables and starch (no meat/protein), you can include bananas, dates, fresh and dried figs, sweet grapes, mangos, papayas, lovely pears, lovely plums, and raisins.

• Bread or rice pudding with raisins might be a great dessert for a meal like this.

• They are almost equal in protein and carbohydrates, although they are vegetables.

• Many who eat beans, particularly dried beans and then re-hydrated, may experience gas, bloating, discomfort and indigestion.

• Soaking the beans overnight and then discarding the water will help. Boiling them for a short while with the top of the pot can also help.

• Eating beans only with vegetables, especially raw vegetables, may help even more. Treating legumes as a protein may work best for those who have problems eating beans or peanuts.

• If sprouting the beans, you can treat them as vegetables. Sprouts work great on salads and sandwiches and are highly nutritious.

• Although some consider it an incomplete protein, beans have about the same amount of protein as that of meat but without many of the amino acids.

• Beans can be eaten with brown rice, corn, grains, nuts, or seeds to make a complete protein. They can also be eaten as fresh meals if eaten within 2 days of each other.

NOTE:

1. Most beans should be cooked or sprouted before eating. Some beans should never be eaten raw because they will cause illness.
2. Notations further in this e-book will show which beans must be cooked. Fats add flavor to any dish, whether butter, coconut oil, canola oil, or olive oil.
3. From meats to raw food such as salads, fats enhance the world. And we need fats in our diets to gain and maintain health. 54% of a human mother’s breast milk is saturated fat so that the baby will thrive.
4. Nuts make great snacks that can be eaten in the mid-afternoon to boost energy. Seeds, such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds, can also be used the same way. Nut butter, such as almond or peanut butter, is well stuffed in celery and on sandwiches with sliced bananas.
5. You need to be careful with the number of fats on your diet if you have a problem with fat digestion. If you have diabetes, you need to watch the sugar in your diet. If you have gout or problems with kidney stones, foods with purines or oxalates may need to be limited or even eliminated.
6. Overdoing certain foods, such as carrots with significant amounts of Vitamin A, can cause problems. One man drank a lot of carrot juice every day for years. His skin turned orange, and he developed osteoporosis. One study determined that women who took over 10,000 I.U. Vitamin each day had a much higher rate of hip fractures than those who took less than 10,000 I.U.
7. It was felt that the high amounts of Vitamin A interfered with the absorption of calcium and that this led to a higher rate of hip fractures. Eating a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, meats, legumes, fats and oils, nuts and seeds, and grains, needs to be in moderation.
8. Do not overeat. Eat slowly until you are satisfied. Some have found that eating off smaller plates with a small fork helps avoid overeating. Studies have found that if food is chewed long enough, the nutrients get tagged for somebody’s region.
9. For example, if you have a tennis elbow, the nutrients will go directly to your elbow for repair. If you have not chewed your food long enough for the tags to be applied, then the nutrients will go all over your body.
10. That’s important too, but you may find that it takes longer for your tennis elbow to heal. It’s been said: “Drink your food and chew your drinks.” This may be the way to get the most out of the superfoods.

What foods are the superfoods?

There are over 100 foods that can be classified as superfoods. These include fruits; vegetables; meats, fish, and seafood; grains; nuts and seeds; fats and oils; and the legumes that we will consider in this article.

It is hoped that by adding these to your diet and your family’s diets, you can get more excellent health, energy, and longevity.

Benefits of some fruits

Apples

• Nutritional value: Apples have a lot of nutrients that can contribute to health. The amounts of nutrients depend on the size and variety of the apple. These include:

• 52 Calories; 13.81g Carbohydrates; less than 1g fat; 54 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin E, betaine, and Pantothenic Acid; 4.6mg Vitamin C; 2.2mcg Vitamin K; 3mcg Folate; and 3.4mg. choline. Minerals include 6mg Calcium; 5mg Magnesium; 11mg Phosphorus; 107g Potassium; 1mg Sodium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese. Other nutrients include 12mg of Phytosterols and 0.19g of Ash. Apples have trace amounts of protein and are about 84% water. Unfortunately, today’s statistics show that only about half of the Vitamin A and one-fourth of the iron are available compared to 40 years ago.

• Health Benefits: Antioxidants, flavonoids, pectin, and polyphenols help give apples some health benefits. These include: Regulating blood sugar by slowing digestion of carbohydrates, reducing glucose absorption and stimulating insulin production by the pancreas; reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases; reducing the risk of asthma, lung cancer, and possibly other types of cancer, as well. Apples have also been shown to help with macular degeneration of the eyes and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

• Including Apples in Your Diet: Apples can be eaten cold from the fridge or baked with cinnamon as a dessert, or made into pie a la mode. Sliced apples are also good with cheese.

• Because apples turn brown when exposed to air, rinse slices in water with added drops of lemon juice. This can be done with any fruit that turns brown, including avocados. Apples are fruits that can be part of a meal with protein as they complement the digestive process.

• Recommends adding only apples to vegetable juices when juicing. He doesn’t recommend fruits to be juiced with vegetables, only with other fruits. The old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” maybe partially true because of all the nutrients found in apples. And there are thousands of different varieties of apples.

Apricots

• Nutritional Value: Beautiful golden apricots have been called “golden eggs of the sun.” They are not only delicious; they are very nutritious as well. Nutrients include 48 calories; 11.12g Carbohydrates; 0.39g Fat; 1926 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and Pantothenic Acid; 10mg Vitamin C; 3.3mcg Vitamin K; 9mcg Folate; and 2.8mg. Choline. Minerals include 13mg Calcium; 10mg Magnesium; 23mg Phosphorus; 259mg Potassium; 1mg Sodium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese; 0.1mcg Selenium. Other nutrients include 1.40g of protein, 18mg of Phytosterols, and 0.75g of Ash. Apricots comprise about 85% water.

• Health Benefits: Vitamin A and Carotenes are necessary for moral vision. Both have antioxidant properties and are found in high amounts in apricots. Vitamin A help maintains good skin and healthy mucous membranes.

• Apricots are also high in potassium, which is essential for regulating blood pressure and heart rate. Carotenes help protect against oral and lung cancers, too.

• Including Apricots in Your Diet: Fresh and dried apricots are both delicious. They add variety to any diet, including weight loss. Do handle fresh apricots carefully, though, as they bruise easily.

• You can also eat the skin to get extra nutrients. Natural apricot preserves are delicious, and there are recipes for using apricots with pork chops and other meats. If you haven’t included apricots in your diet, you might reconsider.

• These “golden eggs of the sun” are delightful additions to any meal. If dried apricots are bright, they have added sulfites. Asthmatics may be wise to use dried apricots without sulfites darker than fresh apricots.

Avocados

• Nutritional Value: Some people may avoid avocados because they are fairly high in fat and calories; however, the fats are mainly Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Also, it is unnecessary to eat many avocados when smaller amounts still give you a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Nutritional values include:

• 160 Calories; 8.53g Carbohydrates; 146 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6,, and Pantothenic Acid; 10mg Vitamin C; 2.07mg Vitamin E; 21mcg Vitamin K; 81mcg Folate; 14.2mg Choline; and 0.7mg Betaine. Minerals include 12mg Calcium; less than 1mg each Iron, Copper, Manganese and Zinc; 0.4mcg Selenium; 29mg Magnesium; 52mg Phosphorus; 485mg Potassium; and 7mg Sodium. The 14.66g of fat comprises 2.126g of Saturated Fat, 9.799g of Monounsaturated Fat, and 1.816g of Polyunsaturated Fat. Other nutrients include 2g Protein, 6.7g Dietary Fiber and 1.58g Ash. Avocados have a 65% water content.

• Health Benefits: Avocados have some health benefits because of all their nutrients. Their dietary fiber helps prevent constipation.

• Antioxidants work against free radicals, and others are involved with disease and aging. Avocados’ minerals, especially potassium, are needed for strong bones and heart health and produce red blood cells.

• Fatty acids work to keep cholesterol levels in balance, which will help keep the risk of heart problems and stroke low. Many find that avocados help in reducing belly fat, as well.

• Including Avocados in Your Diet: Many of us may know of guacamole and using avocados in a salad or on a sandwich. Wikipedia.org, under avocado, has a list of different countries and the many ways that avocados are used.

• Some individuals even mash them up with lemon juice and sugar and eat their dessert. The mild taste of avocados makes it easy to fix with different ingredients; sliced with salt, mashed and made into guacamole with spicy salsa; mashed with lemon juice and spices such as ‘Spike’ chopped for a salad and many other ways in different countries that one wouldn’t ordinarily consider.

• No matter how you eat avocado, you will get a lot of nutrition immediately, improving your diet. So eat and enjoy.

Bananas

• Nutritional Value: Bananas are among the easiest fruits to get; peel and eat. Nutrients include 89 Calories; 22.84g Carbohydrates; 0.33g Fat comprising 0.112g Saturated fat, 0.032g Monounsaturated Fat, and 0.073g Polyunsaturated Fat; 64 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid and Betaine; 8.7mg Vitamin C; 20mcg Folate; and 9.8mg. Choline. The following are mineral values: 5mg Calcium, less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese; 27mg Magnesium; 22mg Phosphorus; 358mg Potassium; 1mg Sodium; 1mcg Selenium. The balance of nutrients includes 2.5g of protein, 36mg of Phytosterols, and 1.8g of Ash. Bananas are around 75% of water.

• Health Benefits: Bananas are low in fat and rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are a significant source of quick energy, as many athletes discover.

• Bananas are an excellent source of choline that is necessary for several body functions. Choline is also indirectly responsible for lowering homocysteine levels, helping lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Although not have as high

• potassium levels such as avocados and bananas are better sources of this mineral that help control blood pressure and heart rate.

• Including Bananas in Your Diet: Years ago, a survey was done in a city in the United States concerning the eating of raw food. Not only did the surveyors find some people who never ate raw food, they even found some who had never even eaten a banana.

• Bananas are one of the few foods in their wrapper. It is portable and can be served in seconds and enjoyed in minutes. Some beautiful ways to enjoy bananas include banana nut bread, banana cream pie, banana ice cream, bananas and cereal, banana muffins, and many others.

• They can even be added to a milkshake or smoothie. If adding bananas to a fruit salad, you can dip them in pineapple juice or lemon water to keep them from turning brown. No matter how you eat them, bananas taste good and are suitable for you, as well.

Blackberries

• Nutritional Value: Berries of all types are great superfoods having beneficial amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for health. Blackberries are no exception in this area. Their nutrients include 43 Calories; 9.61g of Carbohydrates; 0.49g of Fat; 214 I.U. Vitamin A; 21mg Vitamin C; less than 1mg each Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, and Betaine; 25mcg Folate; 8.5mg Choline; 1.17mg Vitamin E; and 19.8mcg Vitamin K. Minerals that are found in blackberries include 29mg Calcium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese; 20mg Magnesium, 22mg Phosphorus; 162mg Potassium; l.0mg Sodium; and 0.4mcg Selenium. Other nutrients include 1.39g Protein and 0.37g Ash. Blackberries have 85% water content.

• Health Benefits: The Carotenoids in blackberries help protect against macular degeneration. Blackberries are an excellent source of potassium that may lower the risk of bone degeneration and kidney stones.

• Blackberries’ soluble fiber also helps lower cholesterol levels by preventing the absorption of cholesterol. Vitamin C protects against free radicals, and the Ellagic Acid in blackberries may also offer protection from cancer.

• Blackberries are also known for curing diarrhea, dysentery, and hemorrhoids. They can also treat inflammation of scrapes and wounds by being made into a paste and applied to the injury. Some have used them to treat acne and stretch marks.

• Including Blackberries in Your Diet: Blackberries are good if you want to eat them. They are great in shakes, with cream or ice cream,, and excellent in blackberry cobbler AllRecipes.com has over 150 recipes using fresh blackberries from ‘very berry cheesecake’ to a sauce for pork chops. Check it out.

Blueberries

• Nutritional Value: Although blueberries are very nutritious. Please consider buying organic. Nutritional values include 57 calories; 14.49g Carbohydrates; 0.33g Fat; 54 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Betaine, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin E; 9.7mg Vitamin C; 6mcg Folate; 6mg Choline; and 19.3mcg Vitamin K. Minerals include 6mg Calcium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese; 12mg Phosphorus; 77mg Potassium; 1mg Sodium and 0.1mcg Selenium. Others include 0.74g Protein and 0.24g Ash. Blueberries contain about 83% water.

• Health Benefits: Blueberries are fruits having one of the highest values of antioxidants. These berries contain Chlorogenic Acid, and studies show it helps control blood glucose in Type 2 diabetics.

• Research showed that blueberries helped reduce brain damage when the experimental stroke was studied in rats. Because of the nutrients in blueberries, regular consumption may help with cholesterol and blood lipid levels and lower blood pressure.

• Including Blueberries in Your Diet: Blueberry muffins and blueberry pie are just a few of the ways they can be enjoyed. These berries are one of several that can be eaten each day for health because of their nutrients.

• They can be eaten fresh or used dried in soups and stews. Traditionally, Native Americans have used them for health and well-being.

Cantaloupe

• Nutritional Value: Low in calories and high in Vitamin A and Potassium, cantaloupe or muskmelons are delicious and nutritious. Nutritional values include 34 calories; 8.16g Carbohydrates; 0.19g Fat; 3382 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and Betaine; 36.7mg Vitamin C; 21mcg Folate; 2.5mcg Vitamin K; and 7.6mg Choline. Minerals include 9mg Calcium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese; 12mg Magnesium; 15mg Phosphorus; 267mg Potassium; 16mg Sodium; and 0.4mcg Selenium. Other data includes 0.84g Protein, 0.65g Ash and 10mg Phytosterols. Cantaloupes are high in water content at 94%.

• Health Benefits: Cantaloupes have one of the highest levels of Vitamin A of any fruit. Vitamin A is essential for good eyesight, skin, and mucous membranes. It can also help protect from oral cavity and lung cancers.

• Cantaloupes are rich in antioxidants that help lower the risk of other cancers such as breast and colon cancer. These melons are also an excellent source of Folate that helps with fetal development, depression, red blood cell production, and brain health. Other nutrients help protect against macular degeneration, heart disease, and stroke.

• Including Cantaloupes in Your Diet: When shopping for cantaloupes, look for those that smell like cantaloupes. Those with no smell usually are still green, and cantaloupes are one of the few fruits that will never develop the sugars and flavor if picked green.

• Be sure to wash the cantaloupes outside before cutting because of bacteria. The best way to eat cantaloupe is by itself. The delicious flavor is best savored without distractions.

• Cantaloupes make wonderful low-calorie snacks. If you mix them with other fruits, mix them with other melons or juice the fruits together. Remember that melons clear the stomach in about 10 minutes.

Cherries

• Nutritional Value: How do tart cherries’ antioxidant levels stack against cranberries and strawberries? Tart cherries’ grades are higher. Let’s look at the nutrients available in sour red cherries. They include 50 Calories; 12.18g of Carbohydrates; 0.30g of Fat; 1283 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg each Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6,, and Vitamin E; 10mg Vitamin C; 2.1mcg Vitamin K; 8mcg Folate; and 6.1mg. choline. Cherries have the following minerals: 16mg calcium; 9mg Magnesium; 15mg Phosphorus; 173mg Potassium; 3mg Sodium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese. They also have 1g Protein and 0.40g Ash. Cherries are one of the higher water content fruits with 83%.

• Health Benefits: Researchers find that the benefits from cherries are maybe just a little better than some other fruits. When they checked individual antioxidants in tart cherries, they discovered that all the nutrients working together boosted antioxidant power higher than the sum of the individual nutrients put together.

• Synergy in our food should prove to be better than taking isolated nutrients. The isolates may help, but they will never equal the synergy of all the nutrients acting together. The Anthocyanins that give cherries their red color have also been anti-inflammatory.

• That is good news for gout sufferers who benefit from cherries in their diets. Some of this relief was at levels comparable to pain medications. Cherries have more phytonutrients than blueberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, and pomegranates. Although grapes were close, the others have about half of what cherries have.

• One animal study showed that cherries reduced inflammation up to 50%. Cherries help minimize the risk of gout and arthritis and promote cardiovascular health. They also help with muscle recovery and stress in athletes.

• Including Cherries in Your Diet: It’s hard not to think of tart cherry pie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top when considering this fruit. Cherries can be used as fresh, dried, or as juice. 8 ounces of tart cherry juice per day for 4 weeks helped with the inflammation of overweight individuals.

• The liquid not only tastes good, but it is also healthy to boot. It can be added to smoothies and nutritional shakes as well.

Papaya

• Nutritional Value: Papaya or pawpaw fruits are high in nutrients. Nutritional values include 43 Calories; 10.83g of Carbohydrates; 0.26g of Fat; 950 I.U. Vitamin A; less than 1mg Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid; Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E; 60.9mg Vitamin C; 37mcg Folate; 6.1mg Choline; and 2.6mcg Vitamin K. Minerals include 20mg Calcium; less than 1mg each Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese; 21mg Magnesium; 10mg Phosphorus; 182mg Potassium; 8mg Sodium; and 0.6mcg Selenium. Additional values include 0.47g Protein and 0.39g Ash. Papayas have around 89% water content.

• Health Benefits: Papayas help lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and help lower the risk of certain cancers, including colon cancer.

• Because of the enzyme Papain found in papayas, this fruit helps the digestive tract digest proteins, constipation, and elimination of pus and mucus in the colon. Papayas also help relieve nausea of motion and morning sicknesses.

• They may help with diabetic heart disease and atherosclerosis. Seeds are also used for expelling worms.

• Including Papayas in Your Diet: As with all fruits, papayas can be eaten raw or in juice, smoothies, or shakes. They can also be made into salsas and sauces used on fish, chicken, and baby back ribs.

• Green papaya is used as a fruit and can be added to curries, soups, and stews. This fruit can be used in various desserts, including sorbets and ice creams.

What does the word diet mean to you?

Do you think about starving yourself, eliminating favorite foods, or denying yourself the freedom to eat what you want?

One definition is a regulated course of eating and drinking, especially one followed for medical or hygienic reasons.

The meaning of clean is the science of preserving or promoting health. That’s what this e-book is all about; preserving and promoting health. Can you look at your diet in the sense that it is something to make you feel and look good?

How about helping you to live longer?

Think about all the good foods you can enjoy while boosting your health. Fruit is one of those foods that can be enjoyed every single day. Need to lose weight? Increase your intake of fruit. How can fruit help you lose weight?

Most fruits are over 50% water. They are low in calories, filling, and taste good on the tongue. One woman started the day with fruit and ate one piece of fruit every hour until about 2:00 PM.

She then ate a medium lunch and a light dinner. Guess what! She lost nearly a pound a day. Can you have your fruit and eat it too?

I can hear it now: “It takes too much effort to watch what I eat.” Do you put forth the effort to look nice when you leave the house? Are you careful when you are driving on the freeway?

Do you work hard at the office to get ahead? When you think about it, everything worthwhile requires effort. And the effort is worth the reward.

Do you want good health?

Do you want to look good?

Do you want to live and enjoy life for a long time?

If you do, then it will take effort. If you want those things, you will see the need and put forth the effort to attain them. Never diminish the importance of those goals by not putting forth the effort to reach them.

CONCLUSION

In researching nutritional information for this e-book, it would appear that nutrients in food grown today are not as high as in food grown 40-50 years ago. Sometimes, such as Vitamin A in apples, nutrients are about half the value of those developed years ago.

What does that mean for us? That means we need to supplement our diets with additional minerals and vitamins. Unfortunately, many available supplements are junk. They are not organic, have carbon molecules, and can create problems by being stored by our bodies instead of being used.

That should prompt us to be more selective in our supplementation. Our best supplements are liquid supplements made of organic foods with fulvic acid. Liquid goes into the system faster and is used more quickly by our bodies.

If made up of organic foods, these supplements will not pose problems with minerals being stored in the joints and causing arthritis or other conditions. If our food supply offered genuinely nutritious foods, we might not have to resort to supplementation at all.

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