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Goji berries<br />
Hailed as the newest superfood, goji, a Himalayan berry,<br />
has inspired a surge of interest for its use in treating<br />
diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer and other<br />
ailments. Gram for gram, goji berries pack more vitamin<br />
C than some oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots.<br />
Unfortunately, though, there isn’t enough evidence yet to<br />
confirm the health claims, since we only have testimonials<br />
and animal studies to go by. And goji berries and goji juice<br />
are costly.<br />
Dietary uses: Goji<br />
berries are similar in taste<br />
to raisins but more tart.<br />
They can be eaten raw<br />
or cooked and are a tasty<br />
addition to tea, soup and<br />
hot cereal.<br />
Valued in ancient times as currency and once considered<br />
more precious than gold, cinnamon - one of the world’s<br />
oldest known spices - has made the pilgrimage from spice<br />
rack to science lab. Preliminary studies are investigating<br />
its role in lowering blood sugar in people with type 2<br />
diabetes, most likely due to the insulin-like effects of its<br />
polyphenols (natural substances found in plants). It’s still<br />
too early to know if cinnamon can help curb blood sugars,<br />
but with studies suggesting its effects can be seen with<br />
a daily dose of just half a teaspoon (two millilitres), it’s<br />
worth keeping this spice in mind when reaching into the<br />
spice cabinet.<br />
Cinnamon<br />
Dietary uses:<br />
Cinnamon (the inner<br />
bark of the tropical<br />
cinnamon tree) comes<br />
in the form of sticks and<br />
powder. Sprinkle it on<br />
toast, add it to oatmeal<br />
or use it on desserts.<br />
Make cinnamon tea by<br />
pouring one to two cups<br />
(250 to 500 millilitres)<br />
of boiling water over<br />
one- to 1-1/2-inch sticks;<br />
steep for 10 minutes.<br />
Caution: Ingesting four<br />
tablespoons (60 mL) of<br />
cinnamon oil has been<br />
linked to serious sideeffects.<br />
Best known as a liver tonic, the power ingredient in milk<br />
thistle is silymarin, which may have protective effects on<br />
the liver, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory<br />
properties. Differences in research design - variations in<br />
the type and extent of liver disease, and dose and duration<br />
of milk-thistle therapy - make it difficult to draw definitive<br />
conclusions on the effectiveness of this herb.<br />
Milk thistle<br />
Dietary uses:<br />
Milk thistle is available<br />
at drugstores and health<br />
food stores; take as<br />
directed.<br />
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