Tarragon

If you haven’t tried this herb out, you are missing out! Tarragon is a popular herb in Europe and is commonly used as an herb for cooking and has a long history of medicinal uses.

Benefits

• High in vitamin A, calcium, iron, and manganese

•Treats stomach cramps

•Increases appetite to help treat anorexia

•Helps aide digestion

•You can chew tarragon leaves to stop hiccups

•Helps reduce body oder

•Can be used to help with insomnia (tea)

Intake

Dried – Used for culinary purposes and teas.

Essential Oil – When tarragon is in an oil form, there is eugenol in the herb that has been used in dentistry as a local anesthetic and antiseptic for toothache complaints.

Precautions

Some people may have a slight risk of having an allergic reaction to tarragon. When tarragon is used as an essential oil, it can be poisonous and should not be used by small children or pregnant women.

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Tags: beneficial herb, calcium, culinary, dried, essential oil, herb, hiccups, iron, Manganese, medicinal, Tarragon, vitamin A

Health Benefits of Honey

Honey is very good for you, but you must know that not all Honey is created equal. Before I go into the many Health Benefits of Honey, I want to first share with you several different types of Honey, so you can be sure you are only getting the best out there.

Different Types of Honey

Honey

Just because you are buying “Honey”, doesn’t mean it is truly “All Natural”. Most honey on today’s market is processed, leaving out all of the good stuff, which is the reason why you would want honey in the first place!

Commercial Honey (the typical Honey bear you see on store shelves) is treated with an intensive heating process that destroys the nutrients of Honey. Don’t always trust your Local Honey either, since many of them will use very little local honey, and then they will mix it with other commercial or off-shore (cheaper) brands of Honey- and yes, they can call it “Local”.

Raw Honey

Raw honey isn’t processed, but is minimally filtered. In it’s pure and raw state still in tact, you will be able to enjoy the maximum amount of honey’s natural antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and vital phytonutrients, where all the nutrients are still preserved.

With Raw Honey, you won’t get that perfect golden glow look of Honey, but you will get the enzymes that help you digest honey, which is something your body needs.

Raw Creamed Honey

If you want to buy Raw Creamed Honey (my favorite), just be sure that is is un-filtered and you will receive the same health benefits of regular Raw Honey.

Certified Organic Raw Honey

For Honey to be Certified Organic, the beehives must be miles away from dense population, industry, traffic congestion, and farm fieldstreated with chemicals and/or landfills. Bees have a natural 4 mile flying radius, so finding the land that can meet the strict requirements  for Certified Organic Raw Honey can prove to be quite difficult. Yet,  the Honey from the wild vegetation can create some of the best tasting Honey on the market.

Nutritional Benefits

Raw Honey is a source of simple carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Depending on which flowers the honeybees went to, the Honey itself may include…

Vitamins: Niacin, Riboflavin and Pantothenic Acid

Minerals: Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc

Raw Honey has a polyphenols, which act as an antioxidant.

Healing properties of Honey

Raw Honey is an oral antibacterial (polyphenols). Raw Honey has been used as a natural treatment for many things, including coughs, sore throats, and even healing infections and burns.

Children with diarrhea are usually given some kind of sugar solution to help rehydrate them, but others have found that if you use Raw Honey instead, the Honey kills the bacteria in the intenstines, and stops the diarrhea altogether.

There is a Raw Honey that is indigenous to New Zealand, and people have found that the Raw Honey taken daily (4 tablespoons) was able to reduce the symptoms of the stomach Ulcer. The Honey helps because it is able to kill the bacteria that causes the stomach ulcers in the first place.

Now that you see the Many Health and Healing Benefits of Honey, you now have plenty of reason to replace your Sugar with it in no time!

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Stuffed Pasta Shells Bowl by Amy’s Kitchen

Need a yummy and healthy dinner, but don’t feel like cooking? You are in luck!

Nutrition

The Stuffed Pasta Shells Bowl is made with Organic Pasta Shells and Vegetables, such as Broccoli, Spinach, Onions and delicious Tomato puree. This dish comes out to be 73% Organic- the more the better! For those with allergies, this dish is Corn-Free,Tree Nut-Free, Soy-Free, and Certified Kosher.

This dish is high in protein (19 grams), Vitamin A (40% DV), Vitamin C (40% DV), Calcium (40% DV), and Iron (15% DV), and is low in Sugar, and has Zero Trans Fats.

Taste

The Stuffed pasta Shells Bowl tastes delicious- no question about it. You will probably feel like you are eating Lasagna at a high-end restaurant, without all the bad stuff that you just don’t need to put into your body.

I personally can’t go out and buy store bought lasagnas (my stomach just can’t handle them), so finding the Stuffed Pasta Shells Bowls from Amy’s Kitchen has been an amazing find for me. I am sure you will enjoy them as well!

Serving: 1 Bowl (3 Jumbo Stuffed Pasta Shells)

Calories: 310

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Cinnamon

Cinnamon has been used for centuries for its taste and many medicinal health benefits.

Cinnamon comes from dried bark from a Cinnamon tree. The bark can be either dried and rolled into cinnamon sticks, or dried and ground into a powder.

Benefits

•Cinnamon contains Calcium, Manganese, Fiber, and Iron.

•Cinnamon has been found to have a helpful effect on blood sugar levels, which makes it helpful for those who have Diabetes.

•The smell of Cinnamon may help with memory.

•Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory effects, and when mixed with Honey may relieve arthritis pain.

•Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on blood and actually helps with blood circulation.

•Natural preservative by preventing bacterial growth, which can ultimately help prevent or kill bacteria infections.

Uses

You can use Cinnamon in just about anything. You can add a dash of cinnamon to your breakfast cereal in the morning, add it to herbal tea, or top on your dessert. You almost can’t go wrong when trying to add Cinnamon to your regular diet.

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Tags: alcium, anti-clotting effect, Anti-inflammatory, arthritis, blood circulation, fiber, honey, iron, kill bacteria infections, Manganese, memory, prevent bacterial growth

Grape-nuts by Post Cereal

Taste

I actually like this high fiber cereal-every once in a while, It’s not so bad! If you are bored with the high carb/fiber taste, you might want to mix in some fruit, dried fruit, or maybe even some honey to add a little flavor to it. Grape-nuts is great since you don’t need to eat a lot of it, and you still end up getting full. You might want to try eating this slowly, since this does seem to expand in your stomach.

Health and Nutrition

The reason I like this cereal is mainly how impressive it’s Iron content is. For just one serving, you get 90% of your daily value of iron (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Iron is something a lot of women are low on, and this is a great cereal to add some Iron to your diet. I was low on iron, and I couldn’t handle anymore Sugar Snap peas or Pumpkin Seeds, so I tried Grape-nuts! Of course, you don’t want too little or too much Iron, so please keep that in mind as well. It is all about balance.

Serving: 1/2 cup

Calories: 208

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Tags: Breakfast, cereal, grape nuts, great taste, Healthy, high fiber, iron