HN4U Blog

Did You Know?

Published December 3rd, 2013 in HN4U Blog

For the next few weeks I’m going to try and keep things light…after all it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas outside my house.

So Here Goes – Did You Know

You can bounce and dribble a fully ripe cranberry.
New England sailors ate cranberries to fend off scurvy, because their rich in vitamin C.
Cranberry may lower blood pressure in hypertension patients.
Cranberry juice may help to prevent gastric ulcers by inhibiting the ability of Helicobacter pylori, to adhere to the gastric mucosa.
Cranberry juice may help to prevent Kidney Stones.

Nutmeg contains potassium, calcium, iron and manganese. And it is a hallucinogenic. Hummm does that explain the elf sightings?
Ground nutmeg and honey creates a paste that can reduce scars, clear acne and make skin appear brighter. Along with a few frightening images that belong in a Tim Burton movie.

Ground clove can ease dental pain and promote healing. Clove is anti-bacterial and was used for food preservation in colonial days.
Clove tea can ease nausea, and warm you too. No it isn’t just because it is hot tea – clove helps to improve circulation.
Cloves may improve male sexual performance. Sounds like a Christmas tale to me.

Chinese medicine uses cinnamon to treat colds, nausea, diarrhea and menstrual cramps. Cinnamon is the inner bark of a tree found in Java and Sumatra.
Two teaspoons of cinnamon contains 12 calories.
The Hebrew Bible makes specific mention of cinnamon: first when Moses is commanded to use both sweet cinnamon and cassia in the holy anointing oil; in Proverbs where the lover’s bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon; and in Song of Solomon, a song describing the beauty of his beloved, cinnamon scents her garments like the smell of Lebanon.

100 grams of peppermint contains 569 mg of potassium.
Peppermint contains beta-carotene, B-complex vitamins and vitamins A, C, E and K.
The Romans believed that consuming mint could boost intelligence.

Allspice has been found to be anti-inflammatory, anti-flatulent and reduces bloating.
Allspice is a dried fruit picked when green, unripe, and traditionally dried in the sun.

Speaking of Mayans, along with the Aztecs, these ancient cultures believed that cocoa could improve muscle strength, heart health and fertility.
Cocoa was originally consumed cold and unsweetened, frequently mixed with chili peppers.
Cocoa may improve blood circulation (due the polyphenols content of cocoa).
Cocoa may lower blood pressure in hypertension patients.
Cocoa may help to prevent diarrhea (due to polyphenols present in cocoa).

Studies show that ginger reduces inflammation in a manner similar to NSAIDs such as aspirin.
Ginger can lower cholesterol and work as a blood thinner.
Ginger works better to than prescription medications to spot motion or sea sickness.

While mistletoe is considered toxic, the leaves and berries are actually a high-protein food for many animals.
The scientific name for American mistletoe—Phoradendron—is translated as “thief of the tree,” due to the parasitic nature of the plant.
European Mistletoe may be beneficial for the treatment of some forms of Cancer.

Pine Nuts are not botanically classified as Nuts but are considered as Nuts for commercial and culinary purposes.
Pine needle tea has been found to ease varicose veins, kidney ailments, sclerosis and fatigue, as well as improve eyesight, mental clarity, and vitality.
Pine nuts contain phosphorus, potassium, amino acids, lipids, and calcium.