Blackstrap molasses is teeming with all kinds of minerals that are highly absorbable for the system. Molasses is also an excellent source of manganese, calcium, copper and a very good source of copper, potassium, magnesium, B6 and selenium.
Denice: How do you know if Olive Oil is truly Extra Virgin?
RoseAnne: Chemical and sensory analyses are performed on each batch of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). There are strict guidelines that manufactures of the EVOO have to follow. In California, those guidelines are the most stringent in the world. The best producers in the world follow the guidelines that California has set. When you open an EVOO and smell it, it must smell fresh, like freshly cut grass or herbs. When you taste the oil, it also must taste fresh—clean with bitter, pungent and spicy after tones. The intensity of the EVOO will determine how bitter and spicy it is. When olives are harvested green, they produce an intense oil whereas, the riper the olive, the more delicate the oil is. The EVOO should never feel greasy in your mouth or taste stale.
Historically onions were used for allergies, worms, boils, diarrhea, frostbite, urinary incontinence, warts and more. In general, when you’re choosing onions in the store, the best ones will be firm, have a crackly outer skin, and have no scent or just a mild scent. Stronger scented onions are an indication that the onion is starting to spoil. Avoid onions with dark spots or mold.
Pineapples are second only to bananas as America’s favorite tropical fruit. One cup of pineapple has 82 calories and provides the following nutrients—many of which act as natural antioxidants to help in the prevention of oodles of diseases. I’ve had good luck with pulling out the center leaf. If it pulls out easily with a gentle tug, you’re probably going to get a great tasting, sweet pineapple (although I noticed someone had pulled the center leaves out of a whole table of pineapples on purpose at the grocery store the other day and none of them were ripe. It’s a gentle tug, not a yank! They even put the leaf back so the next person would be fooled!)
CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant which helps to process food, converting it into cell energy (called ATP). Virtually every cell in the human body contains Coenzyme Q10 (especially the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.) The mitochondria within each cell–those powerhouse work factories that make energy in the form of ATP—contain the most CoQ10.
Xanthan gum is purchased in a powdered form. The fine powder has the ability to create a cloud in the air when being handled. This powder may accumulate in your lungs resulting in respiratory distress. It clogs the alveoli so makes it difficult for the oxygen to exchange within the lung. Be sure to handle it carefully and dump it slowly into recipes so it doesn’t poof up.