Timing Is Everything When Eating Fruits, Vegetables

Study found that when they're eaten and how they're stored can determine their nutritional value

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- Fruits and vegetables in grocery stores are still alive and know what time of day it is, researchers report.

The findings suggest that the way produce is stored and eaten could have an impact on its nutritional value and health benefits, according to the study, which was published June 20 in the journal Current Biology.

"Vegetables and fruits, even after harvest, can respond to light signals and consequently change their biology in ways that may affect health value and insect resistance," study author Janet Braam, of Rice University, said in a journal news release. "Perhaps we should be storing our vegetables and fruits under light-dark cycles and timing when to cook and eat them to enhance their health value."

By remaining alive after being harvested, vegetables and fruits can alter levels of chemicals that protect them from being eaten by insects and other creatures, the researchers found. Some of these chemicals also have anti-cancer effects.

Braam and her colleagues made the initial discovery in cabbage and then found similar responses in lettuce, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini and blueberries.

By eating vegetables and fruits at certain times of day, you may gain the most benefit from them. But that may prove challenging, so the researchers suggested another approach to get the most out of your produce.

"It may be of interest to harvest crops and freeze or otherwise preserve them at specific times of day, when nutrients and valuable phytochemicals are at their peak," Braam said.

View the original article here

Snack Time: Buddy Fruits

We all know that we need to eat more fruits and veggies, but it can be challenging with an on-the-go lifestyle. I mean, let's face it, it's not exactly easy to peel an orange as you drive down the interstate. That's why I love these Buddy Fruits snacks. Not only are the cute pouches totally portable, they are also all natural and made completely from fruit and nothing else.

Buddy Fruits offers a range of seven products that are all ideal healthy, tasty snacks for active women. Because they're made of 100% fresh fruit, these snacks are also vegan and gluten-free. Plus, calorie-wise, they are a no-brainer with the entire product line coming in at or under 100 calories per snack. Whether you need an afternoon pick-me-up or a pre- or post-workout energy boost, Buddy Fruits offers a delicious and healthy option to get at least one serving of fruit a day, so it's easy to make the right decision.

I totally loved the frozen fruit "slurpees" -- they're amazingly refreshing for summer. (PS: Great for those who have texture issues with fruit!) Likewise, the apple chips make getting extra servings of produce in easy -- try dipping them in a little bit of honey for some added sweetness. And while the fruit snacks may have stuck to our hands a little bit, they were delicious -- and way healthier than the sugary kind you'd find the middle of your grocery store. Visit BuddyFruits.com to find out where you can get the good stuff in your area.

RELATED LINKS:

View the original article here

Study Shines Light on Harmless Bacteria on Fruits, Veggies

Title: Study Shines Light on Harmless Bacteria on Fruits, Veggies
Category: Health News
Created: 3/28/2013 2:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 3/29/2013 12:00:00 AM

View the original article here

Fruits, Veggies Tied to Lower Breast Cancer Risk

BySalynn Boyles
WebMD Health News Reviewed byLouise Chang, MD

Dec. 6, 2012 -- Women now have one more reason to eat their fruits and veggies.

A new study suggests that women with higher levels of carotenoids (nutrients found in fruits and vegetables) have a lower risk of breast cancer -- especially cancers that are harder to treat and have a poorer prognosis.

When researchers from Harvard Medical School pooled the results of studies that measured carotenoid levels in women’s blood, they found that those with the highest levels had a lower risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest levels.

The association appeared to be stronger for smokers than for non-smokers and for women who were lean compared to those who were overweight.

Eat Your Carrots, Avoid Breast Cancer?

Carotenoids are the micronutrients in fruits and vegetables that give them their vibrant orange, yellow, and red colors. Foods that are good sources of carotenoids include carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, red peppers, and winter squash.

Having higher circulating blood-carotenoid levels may be particularly protective against breast cancers that do not need estrogen to grow.

The finding suggests that eating a healthy, plant-based diet may be one of the first modifiable risk factors for these less common, poorer-prognosis cancers.

“Breast cancer risk factors we have known about all involve more common estrogen-dependent cancers,” says researcher A. Heather Eliassen, ScD.

The study combined data from eight trials that included more than 3,000 women with breast cancer and close to 4,000 women without the disease.

It is not clear if carotenoids directly lowered cancer risk.

But Stephanie Bernik, MD, who is chief of surgical oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, says the message to women does not change.

“We have said if we want to reduce the risk of cancer -- not just breast cancer -- eating a plant-based diet low in fat and animal protein may help,” she says. “This study, like others, suggests this is the case.”

The study was published Dec. 6 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Fruits, Veggies May Help High-Risk Women Most

Bernik says the suggestion that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may be particularly beneficial for women at risk for non-estrogen-dependent tumors is especially intriguing.

Many breast cancers in women with a family history of the disease and specific genetic mutations that dramatically increase their breast cancer risk fall into this category.

Sue Friedman, DVM, says making healthy lifestyle choices is important for women with a genetically increased risk for cancer. She is executive director of the genetic cancer research and support group Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE).

But she adds that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is no guarantee that a high-risk woman will not get cancer, and it's no substitute for aggressive screening.

Friedman should know.

She exercised regularly, didn’t drink or smoke, and had been a vegetarian for 15 years when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33.

At the time she was unaware that she carried the BRCA2 mutation, which dramatically increased her breast cancer risk.

Now more than 14 years later, Friedman believes her healthy lifestyle is one of many things that has contributed to her survival.

“It’s exciting that fruits and vegetables may help prevent breast cancer, but we don’t want to give high-risk women a false sense that if they eat right they don’t have to be vigilant about screening,” she says.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

Eliassen, A.H., JNCI, Dec. 6, 2012.

Heather Eliassen, ScD, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Stephanie Bernik, MD, chief of surgical oncology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, N.Y.

Sue Friedman, DVM, executive director, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered.

News release, JNCI.

WebMD: "Types of Breast Cancer."

© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. #url_reference {display: none};#url_reference { display: block; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10px; }#logo_rdr img { visibility: visible; }.titleBar_rdr .titleBarMiddle_fmt { padding-top: 1.5em !important;} Top Picks When to Get a Screening Mammogram Slideshow: Stress-Reducing Foods Health Check: Breast Cancer Treatment Options Breast Cancer's Link to Bone Metastasis Suspicious Mammogram Result: Now What? 7 Tips to Quit Smoking for Good Breast Cancer Home News Reference Videos Community Questions and Answers Glossary Medications Breast Cancer Guide 1 Overview & Facts 2 Symptoms & Types 3 Diagnosis & Tests 4 Treatment & Care 5 Living & Managing 6 Support & Resources See what others are asking about

Visit WebMD Answers

Related to Breast Cancer Breast Cancer Screening Breast Problems Breast Reconstruction Surgery Cervical Cancer Clinical Trials Hair Loss Living Healthy Ovarian Cancer Women’s Health More Related Topics Today in Breast Cancer HEALTH CHECK Dealing With Breast Cancer? SLIDESHOW Breast Cancer: Symptoms and Treatments   SLIDESHOW Top Cancer-Fighting Foods Article Can Estrogen Lower Breast Cancer Risk?   .answers_promo_slide {background:#fff;position:fixed;bottom: 0px;display:none;right:-510px;width:510px;z-index:9999;}* html div.answers_promo_slide { position: absolute; }.answers_promo_slide .top {background:url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/answers_slide_top_bot.png') top left repeat-x;font-size:1%;height:33px;}.answers_promo_slide .top .left {float:left;height:33px;width:33px;}.answers_promo_slide .bot {background:url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/answers_slide_top_bot.png') bottom left repeat-x;font-size:1%;height:20;}.answers_promo_slide .bot .left {background:url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/answers_slide_corner.png') bottom left no-repeat;height:20px;width:20px;}.answers_promo_slide .top a {background:url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/answers_slide_corner.png') top right no-repeat;display:block;height:33px;text-indent:-5000px;width:33px;}.answers_promo_slide .top a span {text-indent:-5000px;}.answers_promo_slide .content {background:url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/answers_slide_bg.png') top left repeat-y;clear:both;padding-bottom:15px;}.answers_promo_slide h3 {display:inline;float:left;margin:0 0 0 20px;width:208px;height:50px;}.answers_promo_slide h3 a {background:url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/answers_mod_logo.png') no-repeat;display:block;width:208px;height:50px;text-indent:-5000px;}.answers_promo_slide h3 span {text-indent:-5000px;}.answers_promo_slide ul {clear:both;margin:10px 0 0 20px;padding:0;list-style:none;}.answers_promo_slide li {line-height:18px;}.answers_promo_slide form.qasearch {float:left;position: relative;margin:-10px 0 0 10px;padding:0;width:270px;}.answers_promo_slide form.qasearch label {color: #5E9EBE;display: none;font-size: 110%;height: 20px;left: 5px;position: absolute;top: 32px;width: 190px;}.answers_promo_slide form.qasearch fieldset {border: none;margin: 0;padding: 0;}.answers_promo_slide form.qasearch fieldset legend {color:#333;display:block;font-size:125%;font-weight:normal;margin:0;padding:2px 0 0 0;}* html .answers_promo_slide form.qasearch fieldset legend {margin-left:-6px;}*+html .answers_promo_slide form.qasearch fieldset legend {margin-left:-6px;}.answers_promo_slide form.qasearch input.question {height: 20px;width: 190px;font-size: 110%;color: #5e9ebe;float: left;margin: 5px 10px 0 0;position: relative;}.answers_promo_slide form.qasearch input.asknow {background: url('http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/modules/btn_ask.png') 0 0px no-repeat;border:0 none;cursor:pointer;display:block;float:left;font-size:0;height:25px;line-height:0;margin:5px 0 0;text-indent:-5000px;width:42px;} Close WebMD AnswersMore breast cancer questions?Ask Your QuestionWhat is breast cancer?Who is at risk for breast cancer?What should I know about breast reconstruction after breast cancer? VIDEO Breast Cancer Treatments Improving SLIDESHOW Quit-Smoking Tips for the First Hard Days   Article Mammogram Screening Guidelines SLIDESHOW Essential Screenings for Every Woman   SLIDESHOW Ovarian Cancer: a Visual Guide Article Breast Cancer: Steps to Reduce Your Risk   HEALTH CHECK What Is Your Cancer Risk? SLIDESHOW Reduce Stress and Revitalize Your Life   Subscribe to WebMD Newsletters

WebMD Daily Women's Health Men's Health Weight Loss Wisdom I have read and agree to WebMD's Privacy Policy. Submit Sign up for more topics! WebMD Special Sections How to Perform a Breast Self-Exam Health Solutions From Our Sponsors Vaccine Questions? Low Testosterone? Bipolar Disorder Facts Birth Control for Moms Blood Sugar Control Bent Fingers? Diagnosed With Low T? Fibromyalgia & Exercise Depression & Adults Child with Diabetes? Vaccines for All Ages Knee Pain Relief Itchy, Scaly Skin? Hearing Aid Alternative Relapsing MS Help In-depth coverage: Psoriasis Treatment on Target?|Healthy Mouth Help|RA Assessment|Living Healthy Guide|Family & Pregnancy Toolbox|Check Your Heartburn Symptoms Find us on:URAC: Accredited Health Web SiteHonCode: Health on the Net FoundationAdChoicesAbout WebMD Advertise With Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy Sponsor Policy Site Map Careers Contact UsMedscape Reference eMedicineHealth RxList Medscape MedicineNet BootsWebMD WebMD CorporateMedical Dictionary-->First Aid WebMD Magazine WebMD Health Record WebMD Mobile Newsletters Dictionary Physician Directory

©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.

View the Original article