Saturday, December 29, 2012

Papaya is a powerhouse of nutrients

About alberto de leon(Health & Nutrition)vox-a13                     http://www.gurumaa.com/content/papaya-a-powerhouse-of-nutrients.html     ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................

Papaya - A Powerhouse of Nutrients!

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables can not be equated to that promised by nutritional pills and supplements. Nutrition experts advocate generous intake of fruits for optimum health as these food items are loaded with all the benefits. Fruits are goldmine of vitamins, minerals and fibre and are ideal to consume at least 4-5 servings in a day. Since they are in the natural form, account for largest part of water and 100% bad cholesterol free, it’s much easier for the body to process and absorb the vitamins and minerals from the fresh fruit.
Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids, two classes of phytochemicals that scientists are studying extensively for their health-promoting potential. In addition, a new scientific base is emerging to support a protective role for this group of fruits and vegetables in prevention of cataract formation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diverticulosis, and possibly, hypertension.
“Papaya” is recommended to be one such pick from the group of yellow and orange fruits, which promises abundant health benefits. It is a melon like fruit with yellow- orange flesh with dozens of small black seeds enclosed in skin that ranges in color from green to orange. Papaya has high nutritional benefits.             ..     It is rich in anti-oxidants, the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; and fiber. Together, “these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer.” In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is used like bromelain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies. Vitamin C and vitamin A, which is made in the body from the beta-carotene in papaya, are both needed for the proper function of a healthy immune system. Papaya may therefore be a healthy fruit choice for preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu.
This highly loved tropical fruit was reputably called “The Fruit of the Angels” by Christopher Columbus. In the 20th century, papayas were brought to the United States and have been cultivated in Hawaii, the major U.S. producer since the 1920s. Today, the largest commercial producers of papayas include the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Gluten refers to a group of proteins that are difficult for humans to digest. One group of proteins called gliadin is thought to do most of the damage to the intestinal lining. Glutenins are another group of proteins found in gluten and thought to be associated with autoimmune skin diseases and asthma. Gluten proteins are extremely resistant to intestinal digestion, despite grinding, cooking, processing and digestion.
Nutritive value of Papaya : Per 100 gm.
  • papayaVITAMINS
o Vitamin A  : 1,750 I.U
o Vitamin B  : Thiamine 0.03 mg.
o Riboflavin : 0.04 mg.
o Niacin       : 0.3 mg.
o Vitamin C : 56 mg.
o Also contains Vitamin E and K.
  • MINERALS
o Calcium        : 20 mg.
o Iron                : 0.3 mg.
o Phosphorus: 16 mg.
o Potassium   : 470 mg.
  • FAT : 0.1 gm.
  • CAROHYDRATES : 10gm.
  • PROTEIN : 0.6gm.
  • CALORIES : 39
Reported Health Benefits of Papaya
  • Papaya contains the digestive enzyme papain and therefore valuable for aiding digestion.
  • The unique protein-digesting enzymes; papain and chymopapain have been shown to help lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns in addition to helping in digestion of proteins. The antioxidant nutrients found in papaya, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, are also very good at reducing inflammation.
  • The ripe fruit is easily digestible and prevents constipation.
  • Case studies indicate that this food taken alone for two or three days has a highly beneficial tonic effect upon the stomach and intestines.
  • The juice of the papaya aids in relieving infections of the colon and has a tendency to break down pus and mucus reached by the juice.
  • May help prevent cancer in organs and glands with epithelial tissue (ripe papaya). Papaya’s fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells. In addition, papaya’s folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E have each been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer
  • Prevents nausea (includes morning sickness and motion sickness)
  • The seeds are antihelmintic, for expelling worms and they are given with honey. Chew and swallow two teaspoonfuls of seeds after each principal meal (three times a day).
  • Papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C as well as a good source of vitamin E and vitamin A (through their concentration of pro-vitamin A carotenoid phytonutrients), three very powerful antioxidants.
  • Papayas are also a good source of fiber, which has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels.
................................................................................................................................................http://www.traditionaloven.com/articles/124/papaya-sweet-pawpaw-answer-to-well-being-and-health    ................................................................................................................................................

Papaya Sweet Answer to our Well Being and Health

Papaya fruits, pawpaw fruits.Just recently I came across an eye opening book by Barry Thomson “Join Our Escape From Death Row-Cancer Jail”, where he in a most genuine and generous ways shares valuable information and his knowledge in effective fight against cancer and ill health. Among other very interesting information I red about simple but wonderful papaya and its healing properties. One chapter in this book awoke in me more desire to learn and research as much as I possibly could as on a professional level I deal with people suffering many different health issues and aliments who look for alternative ways to help them. I would love to share what I know as I believe it can make difference in everyday life of many others. I am also hoping that this will prompt other people to share their knowledge about improving our general well being and health. (this book is further described in comment #100 below)
Papaya, Paw Paw, Papaw, Tree Melon (botanical name Carica Papaya), it has oblong shape, normally greenish yellow, yellow or orange color. It is a large tree plant fruit usually reaching 2.5kg. It has bitter sweet taste and comes from tropical places with higher humidity, native to Mexico, countries of Central America, Thailand, Africa and Asia and growing well in Australia.

Papaya Health Benefits

Paw Paw how we call it here in Australia is these days plentiful all year round in most of the countries. The parts that are used medicinally are fruit, seeds, stems and leaves. I did look around and found out you can buy paw paw in all forms, in a form of fermented papaya, herbal teas even tablets and of course plenty of the fresh fruit, which can be eaten as it is or in a form of juice. So you ask what are these awesome healing properties of paw paw? Well where do I start? Papaya fruit is and excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, C and E. It also contains small amount of calcium, iron, riboflavin, thiamine and niacine. It is also very rich in antioxidant nutrients flavonoids and carotenes, very high in vitamin C plus A, and low in calories and sodium.
Pawpaw - papaya for health - papaya tree leaves and green pawpaws.PawPaw tree. Paw paw is rich in enzymes called papain and chymopapain which helps with the digestion, particularly it breaks down the proteins from the food we eat into amino acids. The latest research shows that amino acids are responsible for all what is happening in our organism, basically for what is happening in every chemical reaction as well as our mental and physical health. As we age we produce less of the digestive enzymes in our stomach and pancreas, which leads to ineffective digestion of proteins. Due to this we end up with excess amount of undigested protein, which leads to overgrowth of the bad bacteria in our gastrointestinal system and not enough of amino acids to perform all important chemical reactions. We can say that good quality protein is absolutely essential for our healthy being. This is where the papaya enzymes can be very beneficial.
Photo of papaya leaf having 1 foot or 30 cm across in diameter.The papain enzymes are produced in the skinny peel of paw paw. The combination of these enzymes repels insect during the ripening, without this protection paw paw fruit would not survive. Eating paw paw after a meal makes for better digestion, prevents bloating and chronic indigestion. It can also lower the inflammation in the body, alleviates the pain and edema caused by sport injuries. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties papaya can relieve the severity of Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Because of its high antioxidant content, papaya can prevent cholesterol oxidation and can be use in a preventative treatments against atherosclerosis, strokes, heart attacks and diabetic heart disease.
In a everyday health papaya works magic on strengthening the immune system preventing the recurrent colds and flu. After treatment with antibiotics eating paw paw or drinking its juice replenishes the good intestinal bacteria, which was destroyed by the antibiotic treatment. The latest good news from eating paw paw comes down once again to papain the enzyme which I talked about, it was found to destroy intestinal parasites. Papain is proteolitic enzyme, which means that it digests inert (non-living) proteins. Intestinal parasites are largely protein, the papain attacks it and causes parasite to die. Also, home applications of leaf and bark papaya extract is used to deal with mouth gums and toothaches which is being effectively practised in many cultures around the world.

Papaya Research and Products

Papain is also being studied for relief of cancer therapy side effects, especially relieving side effects such as difficulty swallowing and mouth sores after radiation and chemotherapy as well as boosting up the immune system and helping body to fight the cancer. I am big fan of the products made by Rochway, Australian company (for more information visit rochway.com.au) as they use organically grown papaya, producing among other products, product called Papaya35, fermented papaya enzymes. They also produce Blueberry and PawPaw probiotic Punch, which has very strong antioxidant properties that protects against free radicals. Free radicals contribute largely in many diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Rochway products are 99% sugar free which makes them suitable for people suffering diabetes as well. As you can see there is plenty we can benefit from this simple fruit, more and more research is being done and I can’t wait to hear more about it.
For references and more on the current studies you can look up PubMed Gov. ( searchwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ ) as for the products there are few available on the market. I am sure if you look around you will be able to find many available or simply stick with the fresh fruit. However if you are looking or hoping for more therapeutic effect of eating papaya, you need to be aware the unripened papaya (still green papaya) contains far more of the proteolytic enzymes papain and chymopapain than ripened papaya which we commonly eat. You can also juice the leaves and stems but be prepared for the vile taste of it …. you can’t naturally like its taste nor does the cancer cells.

Summary of Healing Properties of Papaya

  • Increases quality of proteins in whole organism.
  • Revitalize the human body and maintain energy and vitality.
  • Encourages the renewal of muscle tissue.
  • Supports cardiovascular system.
  • Boosts up the immune system.
  • Helps with the digestive system, by breaking down the proteins and supporting production of digestive enzymes.
  • Papaya can be use also externally as a treatment for skin wounds that don’t heal quickly, for this you can use papaya peel or ointments made out of papaya.
  • Prevents the cataract formation.
  • Due to high vitamin A, it lowers the risk of emphysema in smokers and passive smokers.
  • Alleviates inflammation.
  • Helps with the nausea and constipation.
  • Can benefit people suffering colon cancer and other forms of cancers and aliments of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems.
I would absolutely love new info on papaya and I would love to hear from any one who used it to improve their health.
Mrs. Green’s next article on: Omega-3 in fish oil liquid for health.
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Robert’s The Tree of Life Papaya and Papaya for true health to time indefinite articles    ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Health benefits of onions

About alberto de leon(Health & Nutrition)vox-a12                                                http://www.foods-healing-power.com/health-benefits-of-onions.html    .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

  • Onions Nutritional Highlights
  • Onions, Rich Source of Quercitin
  • Detoxify Your Body with Onions
  • Onions and the Heart
  • Cancer Prevention
  • Other Health Benefits of Onions
  • Quick Serving Suggestions


Health Benefits of Onions

The health benefits of onions have been known for over 5000 years and they've been used to cure virtually everything under the sun..

...
In the last few years much research has gone into the health benefits of onions, and guess what?
Studies after studies have confirmed that onions indeed possess many active compounds that have been proven beneficial for all sorts of health problem.
On this page you'll find:
  • Onions Nutritional Highlights
  • Onions, Rich Source of Quercitin
  • Detoxify Your Body with Onions
  • Onions and the Heart
  • Cancer Prevention
  • Other Health Benefits of Onions
  • Quick Serving Suggestions

Onions Nutritional Highlights

Onions are a very good source of vitamin C, B6, biotin, chromium, calcium and dietary fibre. In addition, they contain good amounts of folic acid and vitamin B1 and K.
A 100 gram serving provides 44 calories, mostly as complex carbohydrate, with 1.4 grams of fibre.
Like garlic, onions also have the enzyme alliinase, which is released when an onion is cut or crushed and it causes your eyes to water.
They also contain flavonoids, which are pigments that give vegetables their colour. These compounds act as antioxidants, have a direct antitumor effect and have immune-enhancing properties.
Onions contain a large amount of sulfur and are especially good for the liver. As a sulfur food, they mix best with proteins, as they stimulate the action of the amino acids to the brain and nervous system.

Onions, Rich Source of Quercitin

quercitin in onion skin
The onion is the richest dietary source ofquercitin, a potent antioxidant flavonoid (also in shallots, yellow and red onions only but not in white onions), which is found on and near the skin and is particularly linked to the health benefits of onions.
Quercitin has been shown to thin the blood, lower cholesterol, raise good-type HDL cholesterol, ward off blood clots, fight asthma, chronic bronchitis, hay fever, diabetes, atherosclerosis and infections and is specifically linked to inhibiting human stomach cancer.
It's also an anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiviral, thought to have diverse anti-cancer powers. Quercitin is also a sedative. So far, there is no better food source of quercitin than onion skins.
You don't need to eat loads of onions to achieve these effects. In fact, studies show that you can reap the health benefits of onions by eating just one medium onion, raw or cooked, a day.

Detoxify Your Body with Onions

Onions contain a variety of organic sulfur compounds that provide health benefits.
Sulfur-containing amino acids are found in onions as well as garlic and eggs.
These specific amino acids are called methionine and cystine and, among other things, they are very good at detoxifying your body from heavy metals.
In fact, they are able to latch on to mercury, cadmium and lead and escort them out of the body.
Vitamin C, also contained in onions, is excellent at detoxifying the body and is effective in removing lead, arsenic and cadmium. So increasing consumption of onions can help the body to get rid of these harmful metals.

Onions and the Heart

To help keep your blood free of clots, and make the most of the health benefits of onions, eat them both raw and cooked.
Prescribing onions for heart patients is hardly routine among cardiologists. But Harvard's Dr. Victor Gurewich advises all his patients with coronary heart disease to eat onions daily.
Here are some of the things that onions can do for your heart:
  • Boost beneficial HDL cholesterol
  • Thin the blood
  • Retard blood clotting
  • Lower total blood cholesterol
  • Lower triglycerides
  • Lower blood pressure

Cancer Prevention

different types of onions
One way the antioxidants in onions can protect you against cancer is by reducing the DNA damage in cells caused by free radicals, studies reveal.
All onions and onion relatives (garlic, leeks, chives and scallions, or spring onions) are rich in organosulfur compounds shown to help prevent cancer in lab animals.
In fact, an onion extract was found to destroy tumor cells in test tubes and to arrest tumor growth when tumor cells were implanted in rats.
The onion extract was shown to be unusually nontoxic, since a dose as high as forty times that of the dose required to kill the tumor cells had no adverse effect on the host.
In addition, shallots have been shown to exhibit significant activity against leukemia in mice.

Other Health Benefits of Onions

Onions have also been shown to have a significant blood sugar-lowering action, even comparable to some prescription drugs.
The active compound that seems to be responsible for lowering glucose works by competing with insulin for breakdown sites in the liver, thereby increasing the life span of insulin.
Onions have historically been used to treat asthma, too. Its action in asthma is due to its ability to inhibit the production of compounds that cause the bronchial muscle to spasm and to relax bronchial muscle.
Onions have potent antibacterial activity, destroying many disease-causing pathogens, including E. coli and salmonella.
From one of my readers, Lynley Kempthorne:

Chop up a raw onion and cover it with honey (manuka honey is even better) and let it stand for four or five hours. It makes an excellent cough syrup and is wonderfully soothing for an inflamed throat.

Thank you Lynley

Quick Serving Suggestions:

roasted onions
The liberal use of onions and other bulbs of the same family, such as garlic, leeks and shallots, seems a particularly good idea considering their healing effects on the major degenerative diseases so common today, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer.
So try to enjoy the health benefits of onions as much as you can and to include them in your diet in every possible way.
Here are some quick serving ideas:
  • Onions can be eaten on their own steamed, boiled or roasted.
  • Sautéed chopped onions can be added to almost any vegetable dish to enhance its nutritional content and taste.
  • For an instant vegetarian chilli, heat together 1 medium chopped sautéed onion, with 12-oz/350 g. can of kidney beans, 12 oz/350 g. of chunky tomato sauce, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season to taste with chili powder.
  • Chop 1 red onion, 2 medium tomatoes, 2 avocados and 1 jalapeno and combine together for an all-in-one guacamole salsa dip.
  • Place chunks of onion or small pearl onions on a skewer, either alone or with other vegetables, coat lightly with olive oil, and grill for approximately 10 minutes.
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Star anis: the secret ingredient in Tamiflu

About alberto de leon(Report on Health & Nutrition)vox-a12   http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/star-anise/   http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-star-anise-4835.html    .   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illicium_verum     ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

        Star Anise: The Secret Ingredient in Tamiflu


With the onslaught of swine flu throughout the global community, there is a new push towards acquiring and stockpiling drugs that can be used to treat potentially lethal strains of influenza.
According to medical science there is a pharmaceutical treatment option available called Tamiflu, that they say will treat swine flu.
But little do consumers know that there is a natural component within this mass-produced pharmaceutical. And what is this powerful ingredient? None other than the common herb star anise.
In fact, most people are unaware that over 40% of all pharmaceutical medications come from plant botanicals, including everything from common aspirin to powerful cancer-fighting medications such as tamoxifen.[1]

The Origins of Star Anise

Star anise, or Illicium verum, is a native plant of Asia, commonly used in traditional societies to spice food, reduce intestinal gas, aid in digestion and act as a powerful diuretic medicinal herb.
It is also known to promote vitality and vigor in the human system, and is a common ingredient in the French liqueur Pernod. This fragrant, licorice-spiced plant is now playing a starring role in one of the most sought-after drugs on the planet: Tamiflu.

Tamiflu: Our Only Hope During A Pandemic?

The manufacturer of the drug Tamiflu is Roche, based in Switzerland. Through a highly secretive process, the company uses large amounts of common Asian star anise to obtain shikimic acid, one of the principle active ingredients in Tamiflu. In fact, without star anise, there is no Tamiflu, as these eight-pointed seed pods gleaned from the Chinese evergreen, are said for massive production of the drug.
In 2005, in response to the SARS avian flu, there was a temporary shortage of star anise due to its extensive use in creating Tamiflu. During the 2005 scare, the drug company began to make shikimic acid artificially via a process of using fermented and bioengineered E. coli bacteria.
Currently, the US government has about 12 million boxes of Tamiflu on hand. In the event of a global pandemic, this would only serve a small percentage of the American population; certainly not enough to cover nation-wide health needs in the event of an emergency. And as Tamiflu is, so far, the so-called planet’s only defense in the event of a swine or avian flu pandemic, and even though millions of courses are available, one single manufacturer holding a tightly-sealed patent simply cannot create enough of the drug quickly enough to serve global needs in the event of a true pandemic.

For this reason, some governments are demanding that the company release their sealed patent, enabling other companies to make their own version of the star-anise infused remedy. What is more, Tamiflu can’t prevent you from getting swine flu or even kill swine flu, it is a toxic product and can create a grocery list of symptoms. And, according to the manufacturer it only reduces the symptoms of flu for the first 36 hours.
I am highly against the use of this drug and believe that most of these flu pandemics are actually created by man to reduce the population and create fat pockets for big pharma. This has been verified by Dr. Len Horowitz and many others.

How Star Anise Oil Can Help

One of the best ways of preventing the flu is to keep your overall health at optimum levels, through a proper diet and regular exercise routine. Star anise, in its natural form, can help the body’s immune system fight off many strains of flu, as well as many other health challenges.
For a limited time, Global Healing Center is offering a limited supply of 1 ounce bottles of Star Anise Oil. This oil can be rubbed on the soles of the feet, breathed in an aromatherapeutic form, or taken internally (three drops in warm water 2-3 times daily), to help the body increase resistance to strains of flu not normally encountered. A stimulant, star anise is also helpful in reducing chronic pain, cough, urinary infections, and respiratory infections.
For more information on purchasing Star Anise from the Global Healing Center, call 713-476-0016. I also recommend reading my blog post What I would do for the Flu, which has other effective methods of boosting your immune system in the case of an epidemic.

Related Posts

This entry was posted in Health News, Natural Health    ................................................................................................................................................Illicium verum, commonly called Star anise, star aniseed, or Chinese star aniseis a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shapedpericarp of Illicium verum, a medium-sized native evergreen tree of northeastVietnam and southwest China. The star shaped fruits are harvested just before ripening.

Contents

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[edit]Nomenclature and taxonomy

'Illicium' from Latin 'Illicio'=entice. In Persian, star anise is called badian ",بادیان رومی, hence its French name badiane. In northern India it is called badian khatai. It is said[who?] that its origin is a place called Khata in China. In Malay it is called "Bunga Lawang". It is widely used in Malay cooking. In Tamil it is called as"அன்னாசி மொக்கு" ("Annachi mokku") and in Malayalam it is called "thakolam". It's called as "అనస్ పువ్వు" ("Anas puvvu") in telugu.

[edit]Usages

[edit]Culinary uses

Star anise contains anethole, the same ingredient that gives the unrelated aniseits flavor. Recently, star anise has come into use in the West as a less expensive substitute for anise in baking as well as in liquor production, most distinctively in the production of the liquor Galliano[citation needed]. It is also used in the production of sambucapastis, and many types of absinthe[citation needed]. Star anise enhances the flavour of meat.[citation needed] It is used as a spice in preparation of biryani and masala chai all over the Indian subcontinent. It is widely used in Chinese cuisine, in Indian cuisine where it is a major component ofgaram masala, and in Malay and Indonesian cuisine. It is widely grown for commercial use in ChinaIndia, and most other countries in Asia. Star anise is an ingredient of the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. It is also a major ingredient in the making of phở, a Vietnamese noodle soup.

[edit]Medicinal uses

Star anise has been used in a tea as a traditional remedy for rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid digestion.[citation needed] As a warm and moving herb, star anise is used to assist in relieving cold-stagnation in the middle jiao, according to Traditional Chinese medicine.
Star anise is the major source of the chemical compound shikimic acid, a primary precursor in the pharmaceutical synthesis of anti-influenza drug oseltamivir(Tamiflu).[1] Shikimic acid is produced by most autotrophic organisms and whilst it can be obtained in commercial quantities from elsewhere, star anise remains the usual industrial source. In 2005, there was a temporary shortage of star anise due to its use in the production of Tamiflu. Late in that year, a way was found of making shikimic acid synthetically.[citation needed] Roche now derives some of the raw material it needs from the fermentation of E. coli bacteria. The 2009 swine flu outbreak led to another series of shortages as stocks of Tamiflu were built up around the world, sending prices soaring.[2]
Star anise is grown in four provinces in China and harvested between March and May. It is also found in the south of New South Wales. The shikimic acid is extracted from the seeds in a ten-stage manufacturing process which takes a year. Reports say[citation needed] 90% of the harvest is already used by the Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche in making Tamiflu, but other reports[citation needed] say there is an abundance of the spice in the main regions - FujianGuangdong,Guangxi and Yunnan.
Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), a similar tree, is not edible because it is highly toxic (due to containing sikimitoxin); instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan. Cases of illness, including "serious neurological effects, such as seizures", reported after using star anise tea may be a result of using this species. Japanese star anise contains anisatin, which causes severe inflammation of the kidneysurinary tract and digestive organs.The toxicity of Illicium anisatum, also known as Shikimi, is caused by its content in potent neurotoxins (anisatin, neoanisatin, and pseudoanisatin), due to their activity as non-competitive antagonists of GABA receptors.[3]

[edit]

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Health Benefits of Star Anise

by Don Amerman, Demand Media


    Star anise, widely used as a spice in Asian cuisine, also has medicinal properties.
    Star anise, widely used as a spice in Asian cuisine, also has medicinal properties.
    Star anise is the star-shaped fruit of an evergreen plant known scientifically as Illicium verum. Originating in southern China, star anise has a licorice- or anise-like flavor, although it is not related to the true anise plants native to the Mediterranean basin and Middle East. Traditionally used as a spice and also as a healing herb, star anise appears to have medicinal properties that endow it with significant health benefits.
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    Rich in Shikimic Acid

    Star anise is the primary source of shikimic acid, a plant-based compound that is the precursor to oseltamivir, an antiviral medication that is marketed as Tamiflu, according to an article in a 2011 issue of “Alternative Medicine Studies.” Although shikimic acid also occurs naturally in ginkgo and sweetgum fruit, star anise has far greater concentrations. Italian researchers tested shikimic acid alone and in combination with quercetin, an antioxidant-rich plant-based nutrient, to see if they could bolster immune function to help fight off flu or other viral infections. Although shikimic acid on its own had little or no effect on immune function, its combination with quercetin, even at low doses, appeared to help ramp up immune function to better resist viral infection. Researchers published their findings in the April 2008 issue of “Journal of Medical Virology.”

    Antifungal Properties

    Candida albicans is a yeast -- a form of fungi -- that occurs naturally in the human mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. However, when your body’s delicate balance of microbes is disturbed or your immune system is somehow weakened, this yeast can grow unhindered and lead to serious infection, known as candidiasis. South Korean researchers found that extracts and essential oils of star anise exhibited strong antifungal properties when tested against Candida albicans. In the Dec. 10, 2010, issue of “Korean Journal of Medical Mycology,” they said their findings confirm that extracts from Illicium verum are promising candidates for use as antifungal agents.

    Antibacterial Properties

    The upsurge in bacterial infections that exhibit resistance to existing antibiotics has intensified the search for new agents that may prove more effective against these resistant strains of bacteria. Researchers in Taiwan tested four new antimicrobial compounds from star anise and found that they were effective against 67 strains of drug-resistant bacteria. Chronicling their study in the October 2010 issue of “Journal of Medicinal Food,” the researchers reported that their findings pave the way for the development of new antibiotic medicines from the star anise compounds they studied.

    Antioxidant Properties

    Antioxidants target free radicals – atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons – that can cause disease and cellular damage. Free radicals can damage cellular DNA and initiate carcinogenesis – the beginnings of cancer. You can’t really avoid free radicals, which are byproducts of your body’s metabolic processes, but you can neutralize them by eating a diet rich in antioxidants. Indian researchers conducted an animal study to determine whether star anise’s antioxidant properties helped protect lab rats from artificially induced liver cancer. In a 2007 issue of “Chemico-Biological Interactions,” researchers reported animals that were fed star anise after the induction of carcinogenesis exhibited significantly less evidence of cancer development than those that did not receive star anise..........................................................................................................................................................