If you looked at an aloe vera plant without knowing what it was, it would look like just an ordinary cactus-like plant. Aloe vera, though, is far from ordinary and is renowned for its herbal uses in skincare. More and more skincare products have...
Plantains and bananas are a major fruit crop in the subtropics and tropics, making it an important contributor to the economy of many countries. Bananas are also a staple fruit of India. In African countries such as Uganda, unripe bananas...
Most of us experience this feeling of just giving up our fatigued bodies to a masseur who will massage away all the aches and pains caused by physical stress and mental tensions. The pain just seems to vanish out of your system once it is...
The carbohydrates are the starches and sugars which are the main providers of energy for keeping the body working and coping with the activities we undertake. Western man has about half his diet in the form of carbohydrate but in the east it...
Detox diet is a regulated diet that helps reduce the toxins in a body. Toxins could be caused by a number of substances like alcohol, tobacco, pesticides and other elements. Detox diets help in clearing out these harmful toxins through the...
The pungent, aromatic and sweet ginger or ginger root herb is a strong, anti-inflammatory herb. It is used abundantly in traditional Chinese and Western medicines to treat various diseases such as nausea, stomach ailments, motion sickness, and...
Turmeric also called Curcuma longa is a part of the ginger family. The main and the most powerful ingredient in the golden spice is the curcumin. Golden turmeric is widely used as a spice in Asian curries. The spice has strong...
Tooth enamel is the hard, semi-translucent outer layer of the teeth. It protects teeth from the daily wear and tear of biting and chewing. The main function of tooth enamel is to guard against the erosive effects of acids and chemicals. When...
Parsley is an herb native to the Mediterranean region. It has been used as a cooking additive for more than 2000 years. Lately, research into parsley has shown that they have a number of health benefits. The name parsley itself comes from the...
The parsnip has been cultivated in Europe for centuries. It was especially popular before the arrival of the potato and was used as a valuable source of carbohydrate.
Parsnips contain natural sugars which impart a sweet taste to the...
You need protein for the repair and growth of the body. Protein is composed of chains of amino acids. There are only twenty common amino acids but they are combined in nature in an infinite number of ways so that proteins differ in structure...
Native to Australia, the tea tree plant has been used by the indigenous Bundajalung people for centuries to treat anything from common cold to injuries. Today, the world over, research is being done on an ongoing basis to study the effects of...
Do you ever forget to breathe? Because, if we did, we might be six feet under? So how come we forget to drink water? There are many people who do forget to drink water, amazing? Just like how oxygen is vital for surviving, simply put, water...
Hair grows out of follicles in the skin. This means that the only live portion of the hair is inside the follicle. The external portion of all hair is dead keratin molecules. The actual hair as such consists of a cortex, which gives hair its color...
It is the dream of almost every woman to have soft and silky hair; unfortunately, this remains an unfulfilled dream for many. The truth is that it is more common to see frizzy, dry and brittle hair, which appears to be damaged. There are...
Dry hair can be a really troublesome problem for both men and women. When hair becomes dry, it also becomes dull, unmanageable and brittle. A lot of other problems such as dandruff and fungal infections are also associated with dry hair. While...
The excess production of sebum causes oily hair. Sebum is a waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands, which are attached to hair follicles. Oily hair is tough to manage. The overabundance of oil on the scalp makes hair look greasy,...
When raw juices are unlocked from the cells of plants, pure and vital liquids of great healing power are released, and their infinitely gentle action can coax our bodies back to normality. Raw juices have none of the potentially dangerous side...
Apple juice is good as a nutritious drink but excellent in overcoming a liverish feeling, in helping sort out digestive disturbances and for flushing the kidneys. Many of these health providing properties are retained in cider vinegar, so if...
Apricot juice is very nutritious. Apricot has about as much vitamin C in its fruit if it is gathered ripe or quite hard. On the other hand the carotene builds up to a high level during the final ripening period so that the fully tree ripened...
Artichoke originated in the Mediterranean countries and was a popular delicacy at Roman feasts. It is now grown in many hot areas and is an important crop in parts of California. A good artichoke will have a nice colour, well closed centre...
Asparagus juice is usually taken in the quantity of a sherry-glassful three times a day before meals. Asparagus extract has been used not only to remove water from the body but as a purifier of the blood, to tone up the nervous system and as a...
People who do not like beet would always question what are beets good for? Research has shown that the benefits of beet juice powder or even fresh Benefits of beet juice are manifold. In fact it has also been medically proven that beet juice...
Different cultures the world over have incorporated garlic into their medicines and food through the ages. This aromatic bulb with a pungent odor is known to contain medicinal properties as well as various health benefits. Garlic can be used...
Avocadoes, also known as alligator pears because of their shape, colour and texture have a number of health benefits when eaten in moderation. There are around 80 varieties of avocado. Many people avoid eating avocadoes due to the high calorific...
Comfrey plant has been recorded as a medicine since the ancient Greeks and Romans used an ointment from it to heal wounds and a medicine to cure ulcers. There are various ideas as to where the modem name originated, perhaps from the Latin...
Brussel Sprouts are very important nutritionally because they have a long season and are one of the top providers of vitamin C, a cupful weighing 100g (4oz) will give, when raw, over 100mg of vitamin C, which is more than twice as much as the...
Carrot, a root vegetable, known in scientific terms as Daucus carota, belongs to the umbelliferous or apiace family of the genus. Carrot is an antioxidant-rich vegetable that contains vital vitamins and dietary fiber. The sweet vegetable...
Cucumber belongs to the gourd family, cucurbitaceae, and muskmelon and squash are in the same genus. A native of India, now grown almost everywhere, cucumber is well known for its indisputable health benefits. The Romans used it to counter...
Elder tree is a shrub with excellent medicinal properties. It is native to North America and Europe. Botanically, elderberry is referred to as Sambucus Nigra. The elderberry fruit is reddish brown to purple and shiny black in color. It is...
The fennel herb is a versatile vegetable which can not only be eaten cooked or raw but is also a basis for anise, and is one of the ingredients of licorice. The fennel plant also flavours some brandy-based drinks, whilst the fennel leaves are...
Figs are well known for their mild laxative effect, so care should be exercised when consuming fig juice. Try a small quantity at first, prepared from two or three fresh figs. The laxative prepared from the more concentrated, dried figs alone...
Celery is a plant that grows in the form of ribs. Most ribs of celery are light green in color but those that are grown in the shade will be white in color. Celery has a salty, sometimes tangy taste which makes it very popular as an additive...
Dandelion leaves, when young, are a tasty salad vegetable. Dandelion roots can be dried, roasted and then ground as a good coffee substitute without caffeine and which has beneficial healthy effects on indigestion and on rheumatic...
The health benefits of horseradish sauce are numerous, sinus and cold cure to name a few. Horseradish sauce is made by shredding and pounding the fresh root to which is added lemon juice. In this form the horseradish juice can be stored in a...
Taking juices may be compared to eating a balanced diet. No one would Contemplate trying to live on one single foodstuff. In the same way, most Juices tend to work better in combination than alone. The values of one will complement the...
Lemonade is known to have been used as a refreshing drink since the time of the Moguls. Modem investigations have tended to support this use, the essential oil being very good for cooling the body. This use can be extended to the employment...
Making juices may seem simple. There are a variety of devices used for making juices. The ideal juicer will make the maximum amount of liquid from a given quantity of plant material, leaving a quite dry residue behind which, incidentally, makes a...
The stinging nettle (which is called ortie in France and Brennessel in Germany) was said to be introduced into Britain by Caesar's soldiers. They sowed it along the sides of the great straight roads; both the roads and the nettles survive. At...
The botanical name given is for the common sweet or Malta orange which was introduced into Europe from China and is now grown in many hot countries especially the U.S.A. Among other species are the Citrus aurantium which is the bitterly...
Do you enjoy the sweet taste of papayas? Even if you don’t, you might want to consider starting to eat them as papayas have many health benefits apart from just being a delicious fruit. Papaya benefits are not limited to any particular...
Pineapples are tropical fruits that are popular among Americans with its sweet flavor and low calorie count. Pineapple juice contains important enzymes, minerals, and vitamins, including vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and thiamine,...
String beans or French beans are known in France as haricot verte and if they are allowed to become old, they become the dried haricot beans. Like all green beans, if these string beans are sliced before cooking the loss of flavour and...
Honey is available in a variety of colors and flavors including white, brown, amber, red and almost black. The flavor of honey depends on the type of flower used. Acacia, alfalfa, clover and heather flowers are the flowers from which honey...
Want to get a sweet beauty treatment? Nature's ultimate all-round healing elixir, Honey is used as a beauty product since the days of Cleopatra. Cleopatra's milk and honey baths are a legend to reckon with. Emperor Nero's wife,...