CITRUS FRUITS

Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops like oranges, lemons, grapefruit, pomelo and limes. The most recent research indicates an origin in Australia, New Caledonia and New Guinea. Some researchers believe that the origin is in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeast India, Burma (Myanmar) and the Yunnan province of China, and it is in this region that some commercial species such as oranges, mandarins, and lemons originated. Citrus fruit has been cultivated in an ever-widening area since ancient times.

Citrus fruit intake has been associated with a 10% reduction in odds of developing breast cancer. Citrus fruit intake is also associated with a reduced risk of stomach cancer. Also, citrus fruit juices, such as orange, lime and lemon, may be useful for lowering the risk of specific types of kidney stones. Grapefruit is another fruit juice that can be used to lower blood pressure because it interferes with the metabolism of calcium channel blockers.[29] Lemons have the highest concentration of citrate of any citrus fruit, and daily consumption of lemonade has been shown to decrease the rate of kidney stone formation.

Oranges were historically used for their high content of vitamin C, which prevents scurvy. Scurvy is caused by vitamin C deficiency, and can be prevented by having 10 milligrams of vitamin C a day. An early sign of scurvy is fatigue. If ignored, later symptoms are bleeding and bruising easily. British sailors were given a ration of citrus fruits on long voyages to prevent the onset of scurvy, hence the British nickname of Limey. Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of plants. Limes and lemons as well as oranges and grapefruits are among the highest in this level.

This post is part of the Photo Friday meme,
and also part of the Food Friday meme,
and also part of the Orange you Glad It's Friday meme.

PEPINO

Solanum muricatum is a species of evergreen shrub native to South America and grown for its sweet edible fruit. It is known as pepino dulce ("sweet cucumber" in English, in order to differentiate it from cucumber which is also called "pepino" in Spanish) or simply pepino; the latter is also used for similar species such as "S. mucronatum" (which actually seems to belong in the related genus Lycianthes).

The pepino dulce fruit resembles a melon (Cucumis melo) in colour, and its flavour recalls a mixture of honeydew and cucumber, and thus it is also sometimes called pepino melon or melon pear, but pepinos are only very distantly related to melons and pears. Another common name, "tree melon", is more often used for the Papaya (Carica papaya) though the pepino dulce plant generally does not look much like a tree; it looks more like a ground cover, trailing plant.

The present species is, however, a close relative of other nightshades cultivated for their fruit, including the tomato (S. lycopersicum) and the eggplant (S. melongena), which its own fruit closely resembles. Pepino fruit is common in markets in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Chile, but less often overseas because it is quite sensitive to handling and does not travel well. Attempts to produce commercial cultivars and to export the fruit have been made in New Zealand, Turkey, Mauritius and Chile.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme,
and also part of the Friday Greens meme,
and also part of the Food Friday meme.

YAMS

Yam is the common name for some plant species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae) that form edible tubers. These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Oceania. There are many cultivars of yam.

Although some varieties of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) are also called yam in parts of the United States and Canada, sweet potato is not part of the family Dioscoreaceae but belongs in the unrelated morning glory family Convolvulaceae. If you are unsure as to whether you are eating yams or sweet potatoes use the key in the last illustration to determine what you have!

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Food Friday meme.

VEGIES COLLAGE

People who eat fruit and vegetables as part of their daily diet have a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. USDA's "MyPlate" encourages making half your plate fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables are important part of healthy eating and provide a source of many nutrients, including potassium, fibre, folate (folic acid) and vitamins A, E and C. Options like broccoli, spinach, tomatoes and garlic provide additional benefits, making them a superfood! Potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Dietary fibre from vegetables helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Folate (folic acid) helps the body form healthy red blood cells.

Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy need adequate folate to reduce the risk of neural tube defects and spina bifida during fetal development.

Eating Vegetables Provides Health Benefits:

• The nutrients in vegetables are vital for health and maintenance of your body.
• Eating a diet rich in vegetables may reduce risk for stroke, cancer, heart diseases and type-2 diabetes.
• One to four cups of vegetables are recommended each day, depending on how many calories you need.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Footstep Creative Playroom Meme,
and also part of the Food Friday meme.

FRIDAY GREENS #68 - VITAMINS

Welcome to this meme active every Friday. The theme is "Friday Greens" and you can post images, art, photos where the predominant colour is GREEN!

GREEN is the colour between blue and yellow in the spectrum; coloured like grass or emeralds.

Dietary supplements are a daily part of many people's lives. They are not without their controversy, with many scientists maintaining that many of these supplements are of questionable health benefit, whereas others indicate that they have important physiological and nutritional effects.

Do you take any dietary supplements regularly?

Please add your own Friday Greens entries using the Linky tool below:

EAT YOUR GREENS!

Vegetables contain a range of antioxidants and other disease-fighting compounds that are very difficult to get anywhere else. Plant compounds called phytochemicals can reduce inflammation and eliminate carcinogens, while others regulate the rate at which your cells reproduce, get rid of old cells and maintain DNA. Studies have repeatedly shown that people with higher vegetable intake have:

• Lower risks of stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease and heart disease;
• Lower risks of certain types of cancer, eye diseases and digestive problems;
• Reduced risk of kidney stones and bone loss;
• Higher scores on cognitive tests;
• Higher antioxidant levels;
• Lower biomarkers for oxidative stress.

Also, leafy vegetables are ideal for weight management as they are typically low in calories. Green vegetables are also a major source of iron and calcium for any diet. They are a good source of minerals and vitamins (such as magnesium, vitamin C and folate), and of course, dietary fibre.

So yes, Mother was right all along. I bet Grandma also told you they were good for you! So eat them daily! Most adults should eat at least 5 serves from the vegetable group a day.

This post is part of the Friday Greens meme,
and also part of the Food Friday meme.

FRIDAY GREENS #41 - OKRA

Welcome to this meme active every Friday. The theme is "Friday Greens" and you can post images, art, photos where the predominant colour is GREEN!

GREEN is the colour between blue and yellow in the spectrum; coloured like grass or emeralds.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers, bhendi, bhindi, bamia, ochro or gumbo, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of West African, Ethiopian, and South Asian origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world.

The products of the plant are mucilaginous, resulting in the characteristic "goo" or slime when the seed pods are cooked; the mucilage contains soluble fibre. Some people prefer to minimise the sliminess; keeping the pods intact, and brief cooking, for example stir-frying, help to achieve this. Cooking with acidic ingredients such as a few drops of lemon juice, tomatoes, or vinegar may also help. Alternatively, the pods can be sliced thinly and cooked for a long time so the mucilage dissolves, as in gumbo (recipe for gumbo here). The immature pods may be pickled.

Okra is a popular health food due to its high fibre, vitamin C, and folate content. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants. Okra is also a good source of calcium and potassium. Stir fried okra Okra leaves may be cooked in a similar way to the greens of beets or dandelions. Since the entire plant is edible, the leaves are also eaten raw in salads.

Okra seeds may be roasted and ground to form a caffeine-free substitute for coffee. Greenish-yellow edible okra oil is pressed from okra seeds; it has a pleasant taste and odour, and is high in unsaturated fats such as oleic acid and linoleic acid.

I appreciate your comments, and please add a link back to this page from your own Friday Greens blog post.

The meme is only as successful as you make it be! Please add your own GREEN post using the Linky tool below:

FRIDAY GREENS #12 - SAPO MELON

The Santa Claus melon, sometimes known as Christmas melon or piel de sapo, is a variety of melon (family Cucurbitaceae, Cucumis melo, Inodorus group) that grows to about 30 cm in length and is oval in shape. It has a thick, green-striped outer rind, pale green to white inner flesh with a mild melon flavour and sweetness close to honeydew melons, if not more so. A Santa Claus melon is usually consumed for breakfast, lunch, dessert or as a snack. The melon should be slightly soft, especially on the ends, and should be washed, split in half length-wise and its seeds spooned out.

This melon was named in English as recognition of its long keeping qualities, i.e., "until Christmas". IN Spanish, "piel de sapo" means "toad skin". Melons are a source of vitamin C and dietary fibre, while also low in calories and sodium and containing very little fat and no cholesterol. The flesh of uncut melons is juicier and softer if kept at room temperature one or two days before serving. Once ripened or cut, it should be refrigerated in plastic. An excellent keeper, this hardy melon can be kept up to six weeks longer than other varieties.

I appreciate your comments and a link back to this page from your own blog post.
Please add your own GREEN post using the Linky tool below:

SMOKED SALMON PIZZA

SMOKED SALMON PIZZA
Ingredients
2 rounds of flat Middle Eastern bread
Olive oil
100 mL of cream
100 g of cream cheese
A good dollop of tartare sauce
A tub of ready prepared taramosalata from the supermarketCapers
200 g of smoked salmon slices, cut into 2 cm wide strips
Juice of half a lemon
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced and chopped
Chopped dill
20 mL of extra cream and some tartare sauce
rocket leaves

Method
Preheat oven to 150˚C. Oil two pizza baking trays and place one of the bread on each them. Use more oil to spread over the top of the flat bread. 
Mix the cream, softened cream chees and tartare sauce until it is of a smooth consistency.
Spread over the bread in a thin layer. Spread the taramosalata over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle a few capers over the taramosalata. Bake in the oven for a 5-10 minutes.
Toss the salmon slice strips in the juice of half a lemon and some salt. Add the chopped dill and toss thoroughly. Remove the pizzas from the oven and place the salmon strips over the pizza, covering the whole surface. Add a few more capers here and there.
Place in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes until the salmon is thoroughly heated, but not overcooked or dried out.
Remove from oven, place the rocket leaves on top of the pizza. Mix the cream and tartare sauce and drizzle over the rocket.
Put back in oven and heat for a few minutes to just wilt the rocket. Serve.

This post is part of the Food Friday meme.

FOOD FRIDAY - FRUIT SALAD

A recipe for the Food Friday meme:

STRAWBERRY FRUIT SALAD
Ingredients
1 punnet of strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1 pear, peeled and cubed
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and cubed
1 peach, peeled and cubed
1 passionfruit, pulped
1 bunch of sultana grapes, washed, peeled and sliced
1 orange, juiced
1 tbsp Cointreau liqueur
Sugar or honey to sweeten if desired.

Method
Mix all the prepared fruit together and add the orange juice, pulp of the passionfruit and the Cointreau. Add sugar or honey if desired, mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve. May serve with whipped cream or ice cream.