bananas

[Guest guest]

anyone know if any of these good vitamis and nutrients

are in kiwis as well? Since they're a cross between

bananas and strawberries...

 

mike

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Um, they're not a cross between bananas & strawberries, although their

flavor has been decribed that way.

 

 

Lots more info here http://www.kiwifruit.org/nutrition_menu.htm

 

But here's a synopsis:

http://www.kiwifruit.org/NewNutrition/Y2kiwi.htm

" It's All in There "

 

Kiwifruit contains many of these important nutrients (see attached

chart). It's no wonder that researchers at Rutgers University found

kiwi to be the most nutrient dense popular fruit. When compared to 26

of the most popular commonly consumed fruits, the study found

kiwifruit, with an index of 16, to be the most nutrient-dense,

followed by papaya (14), mango (11) and orange (11). Kiwifruit has

the highest level of vitamin C – almost twice that of an orange – and

magnesium, a limited nutrient in the diet and important for

cardiovascular health. Kiwi also outranked bananas as the top

low-sodium, high-potassium fruit. In addition, it was found to be an

excellent source of fiber, and a good low-fat source of vitamin E,

which is usually found in high-fat foods.[vii]

 

Listed below are some of the important nutrients found in kiwifruit

and the latest research regarding their role(s) in the fight against

chronic disease:

Vitamin C

 

Vitamin C aids in wound healing and iron absorption, and helps

maintain bones, blood vessels and teeth. It helps form collagen, a

protein that gives structure to bones and other connective tissues.

Vitamin C has also long been heralded for its antioxidant properties.

 

In recent years, much attention has been given to the role of

antioxidants in disease prevention. These special compounds protect

against oxidation, or cellular damage caused by free radicals, which

may lead to a number of chronic diseases. Oxygen-derived " free

radicals " are highly reactive molecules that are normally produced in

the body as a byproduct of metabolism in cells. However, free

radicals can also be generated in the body as a result of exposure to

sunlight, X-rays, tobacco smoke, car exhaust and other environmental

pollutants. Excessive free radical formation can overwhelm the body's

antioxidant defense mechanisms.

 

Common examples of oxidation in everyday life include the rusting of

metal and the browning of fruit. Scientists believe that in the body,

oxidation may play a role in the development of cancer, stroke,

diabetes, heart and lung disease and cataracts.

 

As an antioxidant, vitamin C may improve immune function and reduce

the risk of heart disease by preventing the oxidation of LDL

(low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol -- the " bad " cholesterol.

Vitamin C deficiency and risk of myocardial infarction (MI), or heart

attack, was examined in a study of 1,605 men. The study showed that

vitamin C deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of MI.[viii]

 

There is also strong evidence that vitamin C has a protective effect

in cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity, stomach and pancreas.

Evidence is substantial for a protective effect of vitamin C in

cervix, rectum, breast and lung cancers.[ix] Researchers at the

National Cancer Institute followed 10,068 men and women aged 25-74

years to examine the relations between dietary intake of vitamins C, E

and A and lung cancer. Overall, there was no additional protective

effect of these nutrients in supplement form, beyond the effect

provided through diet. When vitamins C, E and carotenoids were

observed in combination, a strong protective effect was seen for those

with the highest intakes, compared to those with the lowest intakes.

However, the effect of the nutrients against lung cancer was dependent

upon whether or not the subjects smoked, and for how long.[x]

 

The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 60

milligrams. However, in a report published earlier this year,

researchers at the National Institutes of Health suggest raising the

recommended intake of vitamin C to 200 milligrams per day. The new

Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) would take into account the growing

body of research showing that five servings of fruits and vegetables a

day can help prevent cancer. By raising the recommended level of

vitamin C, experts believe people will be encouraged to eat more

fruits and vegetables. Recommendations for vitamin C intake are now

under revision by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy

of Sciences. The board is expected to release its findings later this

year.[xi]

 

Encouraging the public to increase its vitamin C intake may help in

other ways too. Lead poisoning is a major public health problem in

this country. In a recent study, researchers found that high blood

levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) were associated with a decreased

prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in adults. If this

association is related causally, vitamin C intake could have public

health implications for control of lead toxicity.[xii]

Vitamin E

 

Like vitamin C, E is a potent antioxidant and may reduce the risk of

heart disease, some forms of cancer, and prevent exercise-induced

oxidation damage. Vitamin E also protects vitamin A and essential

fatty acids from oxidation and may help to improve the immune system.

 

In a study published last year in the Journal of the National Cancer

Institute (JNCI), male smokers, age 50 to 69, who took 50 milligrams

of vitamin E daily for five to eight years, had a 32% decrease in the

incidence of prostate cancer and a 41% decrease in deaths compared to

men not taking vitamin E. This follows an earlier study published in

JNCI, which found a 21% increased risk of breast cancer among women

with low dietary intakes of vitamin E and beta carotene.[xiii]

 

While most health organizations recommend following a low-fat diet,

studies show that as fat intake is decreased, so is consumption of

vitamin E. This important vitamin is normally found in high amounts in

high-fat foods such as vegetable oils and nuts. Kiwifruit is a good,

low-fat alternative.

 

According to data from the 1994 and 1995 Continuing Survey of Food

Intakes by Individuals (CSFII):

 

¨ Over 64% of men, age 50-59, consumed less than 100% of the RDA

(10mg) for vitamin E

 

¨ Nearly 66% of men, age 60-69, consumed less than 100% of the

RDA for vitamin E

 

¨ Over 71% of women, age 20 and over, consumed less than 100% of

the RDA (8mg) for vitamin E

Lutein

 

Interestingly, many experts feel that the majority of the antioxidant

capacity in fruits and vegetables may actually come from a variety of

phytochemicals. Phytochemicals have been associated with the

prevention and/or treatment of at least four of the leading causes of

death in the U.S. – cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood

pressure. They have also been linked to the prevention and/or

treatment of neural tube defects, abnormal bowel function,

osteoporosis and arthritis.[xiv]

 

Of the thousands of different phytochemicals, one particular group

called carotenoids, includes beta carotene, lutein and xanthophylls.

Research has shown that carotenoids may reduce the risk of cancer,

heart disease, cataracts and macular degeneration. Kiwifruit is

especially rich in lutein, one of two major carotenoids found in the

human eye. In a recent study, kiwifruit ranked higher than spinach

and all other fruits and vegetables (except yellow corn) for its

lutein content.

 

Along with zeaxanthin, lutein is believed to function as an

antioxidant, protecting the underlying eye tissues from phototoxic

damage. This damage may be a factor in the cause of age-related

macular degeneration (ARMD).[xv] Increasing foods rich in lutein and

zeaxanthin may decrease the risk of developing advanced or exudative

ARMD, the most visually disabling form of macular degeneration among

older people.[xvi]

 

Unfortunately, in a study comparing the data from the 1987 and 1992

National Health Interview Surveys, researchers found a decrease in the

intake of lutein by 18% among white women, and 16% among adults aged

40-69 years. The authors suggest the decline in lutein intake (from

dark green leafy vegetables), particularly in white women, may have

public health implications as a result of the recognized association

between carotenoid intake and disease risk.[xvii]

 

Another group of phytochemicals, the phenolic compounds, are found

primarily in the skin of kiwifruit. These compounds, such as

flavonoids, have received much attention because of their antioxidant,

antiallergenic, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

Encouraging consumers to eat the skin on kiwi for convenience and the

potentially healthful benefits may be warranted. (Waterhouse memo from

Sloan's report)

Folate

 

Kiwifruit is a good source of folic acid (or folate), a B vitamin,

that is protective against birth defects, cancer and heart disease.

In recent years researchers have discovered that folate reduces the

risk of neural tube defects (NTD), one of the most serious and common

birth defects in the U.S. Each year, an estimated 2,500 babies are

born with these defects and many additional affected pregnancies

result in miscarriage or stillbirth. Folic acid, when consumed in

adequate amounts by women at least one month prior to and 6 weeks

after conception, can prevent up to 70% of these birth defects.[xviii]

 

The benefits from folic acid are so great that in 1992 the Public

Health Service recommended that all women of child-bearing age consume

0.4 milligrams (mg) of folic acid per day. Last year the Department

of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) went a step further, announcing that U.S. food

manufacturers would be required, as of January 1, 1998, to add folic

acid to most enriched breads, rolls, buns, flours, corn meals, pastas,

rice and other grain products.

 

Folate may also play an important role in reducing the risk for

cardiovascular disease. It is involved in controlling blood levels of

homocysteine. High levels of this amino acid may increase risk for

heart disease and stroke. Previous research indicates that folic acid

intakes of 0.4mg or more per day may keep homocysteine at stable low

levels. The same research suggests that possibly 88-90% of the

population is not consuming enough folate to keep homocysteine levels

low.[xix]

 

Finally, a growing body of clinical studies suggests a possible

association between low folate status and increased risk for cancer,

with the strongest evidence in the colorectum. Large, population-based

studies indicate that there is an inverse association between folate

status (both dietary intake and blood levels) and colorectal cancer.

Experiments in humans suggest that supplemental folic acid may improve

biochemical changes in the colon that precede cancer.[xx]

Copper

 

Kiwifruit is a good source of copper, a mineral involved in making red

blood cells and needed for normal bone formation.

Magnesium

 

Kiwifruit is a good source of magnesium, a mineral needed for bone

formation and regulation of heart rhythm. This important mineral is

active in muscle relaxation and nerve function; helps to maintain

healthy calcium levels in the body; and activates enzymes that

metabolize food components to form protein and release energy.

Potassium

 

Kiwifruit is also a good source of potassium, an important mineral

that controls heart activity and works with sodium to maintain fluid

balance in the body. As mentioned earlier, researchers involved with

the DASH Study feel potassium is one of the important nutrients in

fruits and vegetables that help control blood pressure.

Fiber

 

An excellent source of dietary fiber, kiwifruit provides both soluble

and insoluble forms. Soluble fiber is broken down in the digestive

process and is the form of fiber that appears to play a protective

role in heart disease and diabetes. Examples of soluble fiber include

pectins, gums and mucilages. It's also found in peas, dried beans,

some fruits and vegetables (kiwi, oranges, apples and carrots), oats

and barley. Fiber from psyllium seed husk, an ingredient in some

bulk-forming natural laxatives, is also in this group.

 

Insoluble fiber is not broken down by digestive enzymes. It helps

hold water in the colon, aiding in the prevention of constipation,

diverticulosis, hemorrhoids and some forms of cancer. Examples of

insoluble fiber include cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Whole

grains and cereals -- especially wheat bran, the skins of fruits and

many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.

 

The recommended daily intake of fiber is 20-35 grams per day. For

children, the recommended intake is the " age+5 " rule. In other words,

the age of the child plus 5 equals the number of recommended grams of

fiber per day. In a study of 4-10-year-old children, only 45% of

4-6-year olds, and 32% of 7-10-year-olds consumed enough fiber to meet

the " age+5 " rule. In addition, children with low fiber intakes had

significantly higher calorie-adjusted intakes of fat and cholesterol,

which may increase the risk of chronic disease down the road.[xxi]

 

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association

provides an example of the importance of fiber in later years.

Researchers reported that women who ate a diet high in fiber had a

reduced risk of heart disease. The study followed 68,000 women over

10 years and confirms the same protective effects of fiber against

heart disease seen previously in men.[xxii]

 

All of this exciting new research provides yet another reason(s) to

increase your fruit and vegetable intake. So, this winter think green

and reach for a kiwifruit – the most nutrient-dense popular fruit

available year-round.

[Guest guest]

Anyone else know about this? I thought it was a joke, at first. Go down to

" straight banana " ................weird, for sure.

 

Shari

 

Is this for real?

Well I thought it was a hoax until I did a quick google search

'brussels put legal definition of banana' and look what I found.

Did anybody here could have done this too?

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6481969.stm

 

The Straight Banana

 

Was the European Union trying to ban straight bananas, or bent ones?

This story goes back so far that a lot of people are no longer sure

quite what the scandal was about. They just remember that Brussels

seemed to be taking an unhealthy interest in the shape of this fruit.

 

Here is the correct answer: the commissioners have no problem with

straight bananas, it's the crooked ones they don't like so much, but

they have never banned them. As Commission Regulation (EC) 2257/94

puts it, bananas must be " free from malformation or abnormal

curvature " . In the case of " Extra class " bananas, there is no wiggle

room, but Class 1 bananas can have " slight defects of shape " , and

Class 2 bananas can have full-on " defects of shape " .

No attempt is made to define " abnormal curvature " in the case of

bananas, which must lead to lots of arguments. Contrast the case of

cucumbers (Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1677/88), where Class I and

" Extra class " cucumbers are allowed a bend of 10mm per 10cm of length.

Class II cucumbers can bend twice as much.