Organic News Issue 2

This vegetable deserves an award thanks to its active
ingredient: fructo-oligosaccharides, a prebiotic that
some researchers have chosen as the hottest in
food and nutrition research. Prebiotics take centre
stage for their potential to promote gut health by
encouraging the growth and function of “good
bacteria” that live in our digestive tract.
Emerging research is also revealing an important
supporting role for flavonoids, antioxidants that
are abundant in shallots. Preliminary research is
investigating flavonoids for their preventive role
in cancer and heart disease, but further research is
still needed to support these potential benefits.
Shallots
Dietary uses: Shallots
are more subtle in
flavour than their
cousins, the onion and
garlic, and they do not
cause bad breath. Eat
them raw or cooked till
tender. Add shallots to
soups, stews, spreads
and stir-fries.
Borage oil, which is produced from the borage
seed, has made the nutritional spotlight for its high
content of gamma-linolenic acid — an omega-6
essential fatty acid with anti-inflammatory
properties. Evidence suggests that specialty formulas
that contain borage oil may reduce inflammation
of the lung in critically ill, hospitalized patients
with respiratory distress.
Dietary uses: Borage
oil is a component
of Oxepa — a
specialty formula
used in the criticalcare
unit to reduce
lung inflammation.
In concentrated (oil)
form, borage can
cause liver toxicity;
pregnant women
and nursing mothers
should avoid using
borage oil. The
medicinal plant can be
eaten raw or cooked.
Use fresh borage
leaves to add flavour
to cream cheese and
vinaigrettes.
Borage oil
Source
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