Ascension Cafe

Japanese researchers reported earlier this year that an extract of jicama fiber appears to have beneficial effects on the immune system in animal and lab tests. Also known as the Mexican yam or water chestnut, jicima is a good source of a prebiotic called inulin, a tummy tightening fiber that helps raise levels of healthful … Read more

A 2012 randomized clinical trial reports that people whose diet included a beverage containing Chia seeds, nopal (prickly pear), oats, and soy protein had striking improvements in triglycerides, levels of C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker), blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, compared to those given a placebo beverage. Consider the Source  Consider the First Source! In … Read more

Women who eat one ounce of tree nuts—including almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, and hazelnuts—two or more times a week have a significantly lower risk for pancreatic cancer, according to a new study published in British Journal of Cancer. The study included more than 75,000 participants in the Nurses Health Study. Although nuts … Read more

There is a new study on the health benefits of wild blueberries, from the University of Maine and published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. The researchers found that eating two cups of wild blueberries regularly can improve or prevent metabolic syndrome, a deadly gang of metabolic thugs that double risk for heart … Read more

It may sound too good to be true, but the more chocolate teens eat, the less total fat and belly fat they are likely to have, according to a new study published in Nutrition. This association held true even when exercise, total energy (calorie) intake, and a variety of dietary factors were taken into account. … Read more

One tangy fruit may be the ultimate antioxidant, as well as a natural painkiller, with a 2012 study reporting that it has “the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food.” The researchers found that when osteoarthritis sufferers drank tart cherry juice twice a day for three weeks, their inflammatory markers fell significantly. Consider the Source  Consider … Read more

Human clinical trials have been launched after researchers found that an immune-boosting probiotic from Suguki (a pickled turnip popular in Japan) blocked transmission of the H1N1 virus in mice that were exposed to it, according to a new study published in the SfAM journal, Letters in Applied Microbiology. The probiotic bacterium, called Lactobacillus brevis, increases … Read more