Garlic

Natures Superfood

Active Ingredient - Allicin

Just Foods
  • Lowers cholesterol and raises HDL - Garlic supplementation seems to reduce total and LDL cholesterol, particularly in those who have high cholesterol. HDL cholesterol and triglycerides do not seem to be affected.
  • Lowers blood pressure, reduces blood clotting - High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure of those with known high blood pressure. In some instances, supplementation can be as effective as regular medications.
  • Fights infection and overall resistance to disease
  • Can reduce cancer risk, diabetes, impotence - Garlic can aid in the prevention of multiple types of cancer. Bladder cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and stomach cancer have all been shown to have their tumors reduced when treated with garlic.
  • Can help prevent bronchitis
  • Helps fights the common cold, especially in the early stages

One of the most beneficial natural treatments for hypertension is garlic. It not only helps reduce blood pressure but also reduces the stickiness of the blood inside the arteries — thereby preventing the blood from clotting, which could otherwise cause a heart attack or stroke.

In a recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, garlic was found to work by influencing the concentration of nitric oxide — a substance that reduces blood pressure by widening the arteries — in the blood.

Better still, nitric oxide has an additional benefit for men as it also widens the arteries of the penis, thereby helping to reverse impotence. It's no coincidence that many men who suffer from high blood pressure also suffer from impotence, because they generally have narrow arteries.

So garlic can help combat both conditions.


Ginger

Flavour enhancer 101, another Superfood

Active Ingredient - Gingerol, Shogaol and Zingerone

Just Foods
  • Reduces blood sugar levels - Ginger has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  • Relieves nausea - 1-2 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea. This applies to sea sickness, chemotherapy-related nausea, nausea after surgery and morning sickness.
  • Anti inflammatory and antioxidant effects - Ginger contains a very potent anti-inflammatory. There are some studies showing ginger to be effective at reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis, which is a very common health problem.
  • Fights cold and flu symptoms - Ginger can not only be warming on a cold day, but can help promote healthy sweating, which is often helpful during colds and flus. German researchers have recently found that sweat contains a potent germ-fighting agent that may help fight off infections.
  • Relieves gastrointestinal distress - Ginger appears to speed up emptying of the stomach, which can be beneficial for people with indigestion and related stomach discomfort.
  • May help reduce cholesterol levels - There is some evidence, in both animals and humans, that ginger can lead to significant reductions in LDL cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels.
  • Improves circulation - Ginger contains Chromium, Zinc and Magnesium which help to improve blood flow, as well as help prevent chills and fever.

Chilli

Just Crushed Chilli is a great flavour enhancer, not too hot but full flavoured.

Active ingredient - Capsaicin

Just Foods
  • Anti inflammatory - Capsaicin is a potent inhibitor of substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes.
  • Minimize affects of arthritis
  • Acts as a therapeutic relaxant
  • Helps control Irritable bowel
  • Clears congestion - Capsaicin not only reduces pain, but its peppery heat also stimulates secretions that help clear mucus from your stuffed up nose or congested lungs.
  • Increases thermogensis (heat production), oxygen consumption, and contributes to weight loss
  • Capsaicin inhibits cancer cell growth - Red chili peppers' capsaicin, the compound responsible for their pungent heat, stops the spread of prostate cancer cells through a variety of mechanisms, indicates a study published in the March 15, 2006 issue of Cancer Research . Capsaicin triggers suicide in both primary types of prostate cancer cell lines, those whose growth is stimulated by male hormones and those not affected by them. In addition, capsaicin lessens the expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), inhibits the ability of the most potent form of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, to activate PSA, and directly inhibits PSA transcription, causing PSA levels to plummet.
  • Helps lowers blood sugars levels and cholesterol - Red chili peppers have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation, while increasing the body's ability to dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot pepper is used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism.
  • Controls insulin after eating a meal - Making chili a frequently enjoyed spice could help reduce your risk of hyperinsulinemia - a disorder associated with type 2 diabetes.

In a study published in the July 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Australian researchers show that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contains chilli. When chilli-containing meals are a regular part of the diet, insulin requirements drop even lower.