Watercress is packed with many vitamins and minerals including vitamins C, B1, B6, E, K, and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc. In fact, weight for weight it contains more of the important vitamins and minerals than apples, tomatoes and broccoli.

Watercress is part of the cabbage family, a cruciferous vegetable, and over the years research has been published to show that this family of vegetables has cancer protecting properties.

The antioxidants in watercress, in particular, lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene, which are types of carotenoids, are essential for healthy eye function and it is thought that they can help to prevent age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts.

Because of its powerful antioxidant nutrients, watercress may have a part to play in slowing down the ageing process. Antioxidants mop up potentially damaging free radicals, which speed up the ageing process by destroying healthy cells and they can also the attack DNA in the nucleus of a cell, causing cell change (mutation) and cancer.

Turmeric from India is a member of the ginger family and its many health benefits are mainly due to the curcumin content.

Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant but it is mainly known for its anti-inflammatory properties, so can be helpful where there is any inflammation e.g. arthritis, bursitis. It also has a beneficial effect on liver function and has been shown to lower cholesterol.

Turmeric is thought to help heart function by stopping abnormal blood clotting and preventing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries caused by deposits of plaque). There are many studies showing that turmeric has cancer-preventing effects and that it can stimulate apoptosis – cell suicide.

Healthy cells are normally programmed to die when they have fulfilled their function. If apoptosis is not happening then uncontrolled cell division can take place (just as it does in cancer and in the growth of cancerous tumours).

Health Benefits of Turmeric:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-Cancer
• Maintains normal cholesterol levels
• Beneficial for liver function
• Prevents hardening of arteries
• Acts as an anti-oxidant
• Anti-bacterial

‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ as the saying goes. Old wives tales often have a grain of truth to them and recent research is showing that apples can help to lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, allergies and inflammation.

The skin of the apple is actually more beneficial than the flesh and it is important to buy organic apples so that you can eat the skin free of pesticides. The important nutrient in the skin is quercetin which is known as a flavonoid and is a powerful anti-oxidant. It has remarkable anti-tumour properties and can also help stop inflammation.

Quercetin also plays a part in reducing allergies as it stops the manufacture and release of histamine.

But there is more to apples than just quercetin. The insoluble fibre found in apples is helpful for constipation and the soluble fibre helps to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

Apples also contain pectin, one of the soluble fibres, which is known to reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver.

Best Tip: Eat the whole apples not the juice as the juice contains very little quercetin and fibre.