Why buy oragnic fruits and vegetables!
February 8, 2010 by CAOH
Filed under Acai (Euterpe oleracea), Frequently Asked Questions, Maqui, Recent Posts, Superfood, Therapy Juices
Why are organic products higher in antioxidants?
“Selecting organic produce and organic processed fruits and vegetables will increase antioxidant levels by about 30 percent, compared to produce grown on otherwise similar conventional farms.”
There are two reasons why organic fruits and vegetables are higher in antioxidant compounds. The first reason is linked to what is called “pest pressure.” Plants under stress from pests have to engage their natural defense mechanisms, called secondary plant metabolites or SPMs. Most SPMs tend to be antioxidants and they’re also responsible for giving plants their bright colors and distinctive flavors. When organically grown plants have to engage their defense mechanisms, they yield fruits and vegetables that are higher in SPMs and therefore higher in antioxidants. This also explains why you can actually taste the difference between organic and conventionally grown produce. Organic produce tends to have a much richer and fuller flavor in part because of those antioxidant rich SPMs.
The second reason has to do with using the natural growing methods on organic farms. Conventional farms speed up plant growth by heavily fertilizing plants and spraying pesticides to get plants to grow as quickly as possible. This actually shortens the growth cycle for plants and yields fruits and vegetables that are lower in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Organic farms, on the other hand, rely on slower/natural growth cycle to allow fruits and vegetables to mature naturally. This leads to better tasting and far more nutritious produce.
Obviously this is good and good for you!
Foods with the most antioxidants per serving:
| Maqui berries | Acai berries |
| Blueberries | Elderberries |
| Pomegranates | Citrus Fruits |
| Cranberries | Kidney beans |
| Blackberries | Pinto beans |
| Raspberries | Asparagus |
| Strawberries | Yellow pepper |
| Apples | Black-eyed peas |
| Plums | Cooked tomatoes |
| Sweet cherries | Cooked artichoke |
| Prunes | Red cabbage |
| Grapefruit | Red grapes |
| Peaches | Broccoli raab |
| Potatoes | Beets |
Acai and Maqui berries offer some of the highest antioxidant levels of the super fruits and berries.
Elderberries are also high in antioxidants and are related to blueberries and cranberries. Studies have also shown elderberries can be effective in boosting the immune system and helping reduce your risk of colds, flu and coughs. For more on elderberries and the benefits of elderberry juice in boosting your immune system naturally, click here.
But remember, a person can not live on just one thing alone! Variety is the spice of life, and that’s why its so great we have all these wonderful organic products to choose from. Click here to see more great antioxidant rich fruit and berry products.
Pomegranate vs Breast Cancer
January 9, 2010 by CAOH
Filed under CAOH General Information, Pomegranate, Recent Posts
Compounds in Pomegranate may fight breast cancer!
Enzyme-blocking chemicals in pomegranates (phytochemicals) may reduce the risk of estrogen-fueled breast cancers, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer, the researchers wrote in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.
“We identified some of these chemicals in pomegranates that actually have properties that can suppress aromatase,” researcher Shiuan Chen, of the City of Hope cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, California, said in a telephone interview.
Many women who have had breast cancer take medicines called aromatase inhibitors — such as Pfizer’s Aromasin, Novartis’ Femara and AstraZeneca Plc’s Arimidex — to keep estrogen from feeding tumors.
Chen and colleagues studied whether compounds, or phytochemicals, in pomegranates can suppress aromatase and ultimately block cancer growth. They found that 10 natural compounds in the fruit may potentially prevent estrogen-related breast cancer.
Chen said the compounds would not be a replacement for aromatase inhibitors.
“We do not recommend people start taking this as a replacement for the AI’s,” Chen said. “They (pomegranate compounds) are not as potent as the real drugs so we think that the interest probably is more on the prevention end rather than in a therapeutic purpose.”
Other researchers not associated with the study told the journal that the results are promising, and suggested more studies involving animals and humans were needed to confirm the findings.
“It’s not clear that these levels could be achieved in animals or in humans because the (compounds) are not well absorbed into blood when provided in the diet,” said Gary Stoner of Ohio State University.
Dr. Powel Brown, an oncologist at the University of Texas, said in a statement that future studies should focus on testing pomegranate juice for its effect on estrogen levels, menopausal symptoms, breast density or even as a cancer preventive agent.
More than 400,000 women die from breast cancer globally every year. About 75 percent of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive, meaning they are fed by estrogen.
Previous research has shown that pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants — vitamins and other substances — that may help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Pomegranate Products
Absolute Pomegranate Concentrate™ – Absolute Pomegranate Powder™
Acai-Max® – Mangosteen Elixir® – Maqui-Max™
Newsletters
August 10, 2009 by Kelly
Filed under Uncategorized
Our Beginning – Noni!Noni juice was the very first product we ever offered, over 10 years ago now. We were one of the first to import the juice from the island of Tahiti, getting it bottled here in the US. Since that time noni juice has been sold all over the world and we ourselves have sold literally tens of thousands of bottles. Over the last couple of years our other Superfruits have stolen some of the limelight from this tried-and-true fruit, to our regret. We have so many customers that call to tell us that Noni has helped their sports injuries, digestion, and other difficulties. We wanted to make sure that Noni was still something that all of you were thinking about! Our Noni Juice is as good as it can get. Still imported from Tahiti (the best source), certified organic and kosher, and with a wonderful fruit puree blend in our Almost Nude Noni to cut that “interesting” taste. (We still have the Nude 100% Noni for any purists out there!) The bottom line is that noni is an incredible little fruit, it may not taste very good, but wow the benefits! We have written and gathered great information about this special fruit – yes even before wikidpedia existed! Take a look at the following articles: Morinda Citrifolia (Noni Fruit) Noni Juice History and Use! Noni (Morinda Citrifolia) Love, CAOH New Products:
Products on Special:Absolute Mangosteen™ Garcinia mangostana L. Natural H R T™ TheraAloe™ Buy 1 get 1 free! Thermogenic Energy Factors™ Summer Multi-Vitamin and Green Food Special 1 Liquid Power V™ + 5 32 oz Juices Special! Plus 5 Juices of Your Choice! Multivitamins Reduce Blood Pressure Source: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (07/06/2009) – Edited for grammar and definition. Diseases of the heart and circulation are so common and the public is so well acquainted with the major symptoms that result from cardiovascular disorders that patients, and occasionally physicians, wrongly attribute many unrelated complaints to cardiovascular disease (CVD). It should not be a surprise that this occurs, as most patients are aware that cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. There are four principle properties of the cardiovascular system that can be evaluated to provide information to help manage cardiovascular disease. These include movement of electrical signals through the heart, heart pump function, blood flow through the heart, and anatomy. There are several risk factors for cardiovascular disease that are essentially undeniable. These are older age, male gender, and a family history of CVD. Additionally, three major risk factors identified include cigarette smoking, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), and hypertension. By definition a multivitamin is a preparation intended to supplement a human diet with vitamins, dietary minerals and other nutritional elements. A multivitamin/mineral supplement is defined in the United States as a supplement containing 3 or more vitamins and minerals but does not include herbs, hormones, or drugs, with each nutrient dosage below the tolerable upper level determined by the Food and Drug Board (FDA). People with dietary imbalances may include those on restrictive diets and those who can’t or won’t eat a nutritious diet. Pregnant women and elderly adults have different nutritional needs than other adults, and a multivitamin may be indicated by their physicians. A recent study was done involving 128 obese Chinese women aged 18-55 years having an increased risk of cardiovascular disease by having hypertension, hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia. It was a 26-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with the subjects receiving either one tablet of high-dose multivitamin and mineral supplement (MMS), or one tablet of low-dose MMS (Low MMS), or calcium 162 mg (Calcium) or identical placebo (Placebo) daily. The results showed that supplementation with adequate multivitamin and mineral supplement could reduce blood pressure and serum CRP in obese women with increased cardiovascular disease risk. (1) (1). Wang C, Li Y, Zhu K, et al. Effects of supplementation with multivitamin and mineral on blood pressure and C-reactive protein in obese Chinese women with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2009;18(1):121-30. Aloe – So Much More! When you think of Aloe Vera, you may not think of it as a powerful immune system stimulant and antioxidant. But read on. TheraAloe™ is the FIRST and ONLY product of its kind! TheraAloe™ is a certified organic aloe vera juice, enhanced to possess a rich source of high molecular weight (HMW) aloe vera polysaccharides, with an average molecular weight of 1-3 million Daltons. Aloe HMW polysaccharides in this range have been shown to possess some of the most potent immune stimulating capabilities of any known natural substance. Over 50% of each serving contains HMW aloe polysaccharides in the above range. The is not your simple, off the shelf, normal Aloe Vera – this is Aloe fortified rocket fuel. To complete TheraAloe™ we added 100 mg’s per serving of an ultra-powerful, bioactive synergist known as ActiVin®. ActiVin® is the most potent red grape seed extract available and is far more than just a powerful antioxidant. You’ve heard that vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants and great for health and healing; well they don’t compare to the power of ActiVin® grape seed extract. In every research study in which they’ve been compared (over 10 different laboratory tests), ActiVin® has been shown to be a far more powerful antioxidant. Learn More About ActiVin®. TheraAloe™ is quite possibly the most potent immunostimulatory and antioxidant rich product available – end of story. Again, this is not your grandmother’s aloe vera juice. This is actually what every aloe based product claims to be but fails to deliver – by a long shot. In addition – this product taken in combination with noni juice is the most effective remedy we have found for acid reflux, indigestion and constipation. You will be amazed at the results. Acai and the Lie! The are a lot of companies selling Acai that should not be. Click here to read more. A better Goji for Goji berry lovers!(Try it with this great Summer Special – see below!) Many of our customers use our goji juices and dried berries, but we wanted to remind you that our Absolute Goji Powder™ is another wonderful and convenient way to get the benefits of goji! Goji berries have been respected as one of the most nutrient-rich superfoods for thousands as years. Used medicinally by Tibetan and Chinese monks, the berry still holds a strong position in Asian medical practices today, and is respected in western circles as well. California Academy of Health freeze-dried goji berry powder is a convenient and potent way to enjoy this superfood, and is perfect for scooping into smoothies, stirring into yogurt, or blending into dessert batters. Some people even feel that it helps with sugar cravings! A good source of protein, antioxidants, essential amino acids, and over 20 vitamins and minerals – including vitamin A, C, and iron – California Academy of Health Absolute Goji Powder™ naturally possesses all the elements to support optimum health and vitality. The berries are vine-ripened and then the whole berry is freeze-dried, pulverized and milled into a fine powder. This product is kosher, gluten-free, vegan, and 100% certified organic. Our Special Absolute Goji Powder Pricing: Buy 1 bag for only $24.99 Buy 2 bags and save $10.00 – 2 bags only $39.98 – that’s only $19.99 per bag! You can also add a bag to the below special offer for just $19.99! Also when traveling this summer! With summer coming, many of us will be traveling – hopefully for fun, and this powder is a wonderful way to get your Goji and stay mobile. In addition, don’t forget about our Absolute Acai Powder™, our Power-V Multi-Vitamin caps, and our Ultra Supreme Greens tablets and powders, all of which are very travel-friendly! Power-V Multi-Vitamin caps, and our Ultra Supreme Greens tablets and powders are a great travel friendly solution for our very popular Liquid Power™ Click here to check out our Summer Specila and Save $49.99 Contact Us As always, we at California Academy of Health strive to offer you the best products and customer service available. If you have a question, comment, or testimonial please share it with us. Please send your e-mail to info@caoh.com or askthedoctor@caoh.com. You can order our products online at www.caoh.org or give us a call at 800-643-7188. Notice: Please let us know if you would like for us to stop sending you email. Just unsubscribe using the link below and this will automatically add you to our unsubscribe list – which will stop you from receiveing future newsletters. Thanks, California Academy of Health, Inc. |
p-Coumaric Acid and your Juices
October 1, 2008 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under Acai (Euterpe oleracea), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Therapy Juices
Question: Hi there,
I see you have some information of p-coumaric acid on you blog, I was just wondering if you know whether this chemical has GRAS status or if you are aware of any human clinical trials that have used p-coumaric acid? Do you have any supplements with just this compound in them?
Regards,
Arjan
Answer: Arjan,
That particular chemical is found in many different fruits (mangosteen, acai) and even peanuts. The issue is here is the actual percentage of the chemical found in each product. Unfortunately it’s in Parts Per Million (PPM). Until it is available in a standardized, stand alone form, it really is a non-issue in determining which fruit you should choose. My recommendation is to have as many dark colored (purple, blue, red) fruits as you can per day.
Here is a link on p-coumaric acid
Sincerely,
Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.
Related Products
Mangoteen Elixir
Absolute Mangosteen
Acai Max
Absolute Acai
Pomegranate Concentrate
Can you give me some information on your Acai Max please.
September 22, 2007 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under Acai (Euterpe oleracea), Therapy Juices
9/18/2007 Question: Does Acai-Max have the pits and skins where the nutrients are supposed to be the highest? I’m thinking of ordering the product and I was trying to compare it to Monavie which has 19 fruits. I really want the best for my family but don’t want to go broke in the process. Also can young children take acai-berry juice.
Thank you,
Nancy Schempp
Answer: Dear Nancy,
Timely question; I just returned home 5 hours ago from spending 8 days in Belem, Brazil. This area is where all of the acai comes from.
The pit is never used and comprises from 88-90% percent of the berry. The remaining 10-12% is skin and pulp. Acai Max is 60% acai with pomegranate, red raspberry, black elderberry, and Amazonian camu camu. We are not like Mona Vie as we are not an MLM, we “DO” state the percentage of acai in our juice, and all of the fruits in our juice serve a purpose, not just there for taste or thickening purposes.
Kids can drink either Mona Vie or Acai Max.
I hope this helps. Look back to the Acai Max page in the coming days for a written and picture – show and tell – from our trip.
Sincerely,
Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.
9/19/2007 Question: I recently contacted the Dr. from the forum on the quality of Acai Max as opposed to Monavie. In comparing the two products (Monavie or Acai-Max), I am trying to get the best product for the best price. Can you let me know what you think about the difference in processing. The Monavie people claim they flash FREEZE the berries within 24 hrs. of picking. Is your Acai Max processed the same way?
Thank you,
Nancy Schempp
A note to me from my friend.
Just a heads up , All of what was stated in that email is NOT 100% accurate. Monavie is the ONLY juice company that FLASH FREEZES the berries within 24 hours of picking them. The reason for this is because Fruit starts to lose its nutrition and ORAC value within 24 hours. The ORAC value ( Oxygen Reduction Absorption Capacity) started in the U.S. in 1991. It is the FDA’s way of measuring the nutrition in fruit. Before the ACAI berry was discovered Cranberries were the highest with 93 ORAC. ACAI from Monavie has 1027. Also, Monavie did tons of extensive research to pick the 19 Fruits they chose for the juice, it is not for thickening the juice only.
Also, the heart for Monavie and the MLM is to get your juice for free by enrolling 2 people on each leg. Then your juice is free. Otherwise yes it comes out to about $3 a day BUT it is the BEST juice out there and highly ironic that ALL the other juice companies compare themselves to Monavie. It’s totally up to you but it is clearly a choice between GOOD and BEST. Monavie is the best and highest ORAC, antioxident values out in the market .If you want more info please go to this site juicedocs.com
Answer: Nancy,
“It is processed 100% exactly the same.” Your friend has been indoctrinated into the MLM religion and only speaks the MLM propaganda. I could critique and correct many parts of her comment (ORAC & the FDA, Mona Vie is the only one, Extensive research on the 19 fruits, and Not for thickening) but that’s not the point here. I just returned from Brazil yesterday and 2 MonaVie reps were at the same factory as us checking out the operation (processing method and acai berries). Check back to our Acai Max page in the coming days for a complete debriefing of our trip with tons of acai pictures and lots of true data about acai.
Sincerely,
Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.
Nancy: Thank you thank you thank you
Dr. E: You are welcome.
9/19/2007 From Nancy: I Ordered 24 bottles about two hours ago………The only thing I didn’t fully grasp is why Monavie has 19 fruits & Acai-Max has 5? They also claim that a lot of the nutrients are in the pulp/skin & seeds. I have been taking 220 mg of pure grape seed for over 10 years now and never get a cold or sniffle. I know it’s the seed that has a great deal of the nutrients. Of course if I could drink a lot of wine, that would do it too. LOL
The bottling of the Movavie is great, keeps it very cold, I just don’t know if I buy that it is necessary and I am really not interested in doing a pyramid with people paying for my juice. I feel if it is so good for people, make it affordable for everyone. What would we have done if Dr. Salk wanted to keep his price high on the polio vaccine? I want to see people healed of diseases that attack their bodies and I know the human body was made to heal itself. Stress is the biggest factor next to the contaminants we ingest. We have so many pollutants that work against us so we need nutritious supplements.
Thank you again for getting back to me.
Nancy
9/19/2007 From ME: Nancy,
That’s great and I know you will be very satisfied! Acai has a giant seed. 88-90% of the berry is seed and it is not used at all, totally discarded. The similarity between a red grape and acai is in the high polyphenol content in the skins.
Mona Vie, as a quick example, contains: banana puree, white grape juice from concentrate, apricot juice from concentrate, and pear puree. I know those fruits taste good (and as with most fruits and vegetables contain potassium) but I’ve never read, ever, where any of them have been used for specific therapeutic purposes. For the most part they help you get you daily serving of fruits.
Our 5 fruits all have peer reviewed journal articles in which they are referenced and all of them have a long track record in holistic medicine.
E-mail me any time and it was a pleasure to share thoughts and ideas with you.
Sincerely,
Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.
Pomegranate Juice May One Day be a Treatment or Preventative for Prostate Cancer?
September 21, 2007 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under In The News, Therapy Juices
Compounds in Pomegranate Juice May Help Curb Prostate Cancer, Lab Tests Show
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
(Corrections made by Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc are in Italics)
Sept. 20, 2007 — Natural chemicals in pomegranate juice may slow the growth of prostate cancer, according to scientists at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
The key pomegranate chemicals, called ellagitannins, are also found in foods including strawberries, raspberries, and muscadine grapes, note Navindra Seeram, PhD, and colleagues.
Their theory is that when someone drinks pomegranate juice, the ellagitannins are broken down into ellagic acid then converted, in the small intestines by healthy gut bacteria, into chemicals called urolithins, which may fight prostate cancer.
Seeram’s team tested that notion in their lab.
The scientists bought pomegranates and made their own pomegranate extract from pomegranate skin. They closely measured the ellagitannins in their pomegranate juice.
Next, the researchers tested pomegranate juice against human prostate cancer cells grafted into male mice.
The scientists fed the pomegranate juice to some of the mice. They injected the pomegranate juice into other mice’s abdomens.
For comparison, the researchers fed or injected other mice with a placebo solution containing no pomegranate juice.
The prostate tumors grew more slowly in the mice that got the pomegranate juice orally or by injection, compared with mice that got the placebo.
Finally, the mice got urolithins orally or by abdominal injection. Those pomegranate-derived chemicals gathered in the mice’s prostate, colon, and intestinal tissues more than in other organs.
Add it all up, and it looks like pomegranate ellagitannins may slow (but not totally destroy) prostate cancer in mice.
More studies are needed to see if pomegranate juice works the same way in people, Seeram and colleagues write in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
SOURCES: Seeram, N. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Sept. 19, 2007; vol 55: pp 7732-7737. News release, American Chemical Society.
Pomegranate Juice and Red Raspberry can both be found in Acai Max.
Pomegranate and Acia Together? Yes
July 27, 2007 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under Health Conditions, Therapy Juices
Q: Please tell me the benefits of pomegranate juice. I have heard that it prevents lung cancer is this true & if so is it substantiated? I currently use acai-max twice a day is there a benefit to adding pomegranate to this therapy? My father lost his battle with lung cancer 5 years ago. A non-smoker, he had none of the typical catalysts for the disease. Thank you for your time to answer this question, sincerely, Doris Chavez
A: Doris,
Here is a lot of easy to read data on the pomegranate – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate
As far as cancer goes: Research suggests that pomegranate juice may be effective against prostate cancer[14][15] and osteoarthritis.[16] In 2007, six clinical trials in the United States, Israel and Norway have been approved to examine the effects of pomegranate juice consumption on parameters of prostate cancer or prostatic hyperplasia, diabetes or lymphoma [17].
Both acai and pomegranate are high in unique/different polyphenols, so both together would be better than each one separately.
Sincerely,
Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.
Pomegranate Concentrate and the Prostate
March 13, 2007 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under Health Conditions, Therapy Juices
Question: I read an article that said drinking 8 oz of pure 100% Pomegranate Juice per/day helps with slowing down the possible recurrence of prostate cancer. My question is, if using the Pomegranate Concentrate where it is 1 to 2 Tbsp, how does that compare/transfer? Do I mix it with water? Can I put it in other juice? Does this constitute 8 oz?
Thank you
Teri P.
Answer: Dear Teri,
Our concentrate is 15:1, so 2 tablespoons will be about equal to two 8oz glasses of juice. Yes, you can mix it with juice or water.
Sincerely,
Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.
Fruits of the Future (California Academy of Health them all)
March 13, 2007 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under Acai (Euterpe oleracea), Goji (Lycium barbarum), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Noni (Morinda citrifolia), Therapy Juices
Fruits of the Future?
Posted on: 03/12/2007
by Kyle Bradley
Below is an excerpt from Fruits of the future.
Apples, oranges and bananas are super fruits, but not superfruits. These conventional fruits have laudable nutrient profiles and will always be great, healthy options, but they may soon be competing on a large scale with more exotic fruits. “The term superfruits has gone from being a catch-all phrase used by manufacturers to refer to new, exotic fruits with high antioxidant properties to being an accepted category of products on the retail and consumer level,” said Alex Moffett, president of Renaissance Herbs.
Discussion of superfruits in the health arena has centered on their antioxidant capacities, numerically referenced as ORAC values, and the potential role they may play in chipping away at diseases great and small. Research on these compounds’ effects on the oxidization of cholesterol continues to mount, and manufacturers are meeting increasing market demand for these antioxidant-rich ingredients. Exotic sources such as pomegranate, mangosteen, goji, acai, noni, camu camu and others are gaining acceptance because of promising research.
Superfruit Tutorial
Pomegranates’ (Punica granatum L.) antioxidant potential has been explored for more than a decade and, according to Paul M. Gross, Ph.D., pomegranate has been the subject of 35 medical research studies since 1990, including 27 reports within the past six years. The antioxidant compounds in pomegranate pericarp are known as punicalagins. Gross explained: “Chemically, punicalagins are considered tannins, which hydrolyze during metabolism to yield ellagic acid, a flavanol of the phenolic superfamily.” A 2006 study documented the anti-oxidative effects of pomegranate consumption on apolipoprotein e levels and cellular uptake of oxidized lipids in relation to atherosclerosis development in mice.1 Consumption of whole fruit pomegranate byproduct resulted in a significant reduction in atherosclerotic lesion size by up to 57 percent. Also, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol uptake was reduced by up to 19 percent. More recently, pomegranate antioxidants are being studied for their ability to help the body fight cancer. By tally of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), three studies on the efficacy of pomegranate consumption are in the recruiting stages; two will explore prostate cancer, and the third enlarging of the prostate.
Another exotic fruit generating interest is mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). As with other superfruits, varying parts of the fruit provide health benefits. According to Gross, “The purple pericarp [of the mangosteen], which is not considered edible, is a rich source for extracting antioxidant phytochemicals, whereas the interior flesh is valued as a juice or pulp product.”
Two primary xanthone extracts “garcinol and mangostina” have “potential as anti-inflammatory agents with preliminary evidence for inhibiting cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes and carcinogenic effects,” he said. A 2004 study explored the antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidative properties of crude methanolic extract (CME) from the pericarp of the mangosteen on human breast cancer cells.2 Researchers “found that antiproliferative effect of CME was associated with apoptosis on breast cancer cell line by determinations of morphological changes and oligonucleosomal DNA fragments”, and that the extract “has potential for cancer chemoprevention.”
Wayne Geilman, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Pure Fruit Technologies, added to the list of mangosteen’s abilities: “We found the xanthones in mangosteen are COX-2 inhibitors,” he said. If you stop that enzyme, you don’t get inflammation, and if you don’t get inflammation, you don’t get pain.” Other uses of mangosteen components include appetite suppression, and use in topical skin care products.
Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), also referred to as “Goji“, has also come to the forefront of exotic health foods for an extensive nutrient profile. Clinical trials involving wolfberry are spotty, but animal trials suggest potential benefits for humans. A 2006 study found the antioxidant polysaccharides in wolfberries reduce the risks of lipid peroxidation accelerated by free radicals in aged mice.3 Another 2006 study noted the fruit’s nutritional value in Chinese culture for addressing liver, kidney and vision problems, and found extracts of the fruit to have cytoprotective effects against reducing stress on the endoplasmic reticulum.4 Because the berries are originally from China and have been part of Chinese diets for thousands of years, indigenous literature regarding myriad health benefits of the berries has given formulators the initiative to bank on the berries’ nutrient profile, said Gross.
Noni fruit, from Southeast Asia, also has limited clinical research to date. However, the fruit’s use in Polynesian medicines for hundreds of years has been the catalyst for research. Despite being approved as a Novel Food by the European Commission in 2003, liver toxicology issues have been a marketing hurdle for manufacturers. A recent study found – no link between adverse effects on liver and consumption of Noni juice,” but cautioned that, “clinical data are essentially lacking.”5 The other significant issue with noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) is its foul taste. Tannins in ripened specimens impart a strong taste and odor to the fruit, so companies have developed processes for removing the tannins to enhance product taste.
Acai berries (Euterpe oleracea Mart) aren’t known for foul taste but, as with wolfberry, clinical research is limited. Two recent studies have, however, assayed the antioxidant capacities of both acai fruit and seeds. Both measured total oxidant scavenging capacity (TOSC), the first reporting: “The antioxidant capacities of all purple acai samples were found to be excellent against peroxyl radicals, good against peroxynitrite and poor against hydroxyl radicals compared with common European fruit and vegetable juices”;6 the second noting:
“The extracts exhibit good antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, similar to the capacity of the pulp.”7 The study showed the antioxidant capacity against peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals to be even higher, but concluded much of the antioxidant capacity of the seeds came from yet unidentified compounds. Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) has been spotlighted for its high vitamin C and anthocyanin levels. Like several other superfruits, trials involving camu camu are scarce. Research on the bright orange berries has increased as companies have addressed consumer demand for all natural vitamin C sources and attempted to capitalize on innovative antioxidant source demand.
As with most of the fruits under the superfruits canopy, camu camu has much potential for scavenging free radicals, ultimately combating oxidation of cholesterol.
References
1. West BJ et al. “Noni juice is not hepatotoxic.” World J Gastroenterol. 2006 Jun 14;12(22):3616-9. http://www.pubmed.gov/. Rosenblatt M et al. “Pomegranate byproduct administration to apolipoprotein e-deficient mice attenuates atherosclerosis development as a result of decreased macrophage oxidative stress and reduced cellular uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein.” J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1928-35. http://www.pubmed.gov/ . Rosenblatt M et al. “Pomegranate byproduct administration to apolipoprotein e-deficient mice attenuates atherosclerosis development as a result of decreased macrophage oxidative stress and reduced cellular uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein.” 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1928-35.
2. Rosenblatt M et al. “Pomegranate byproduct administration to apolipoprotein e-deficient mice attenuates atherosclerosis development as a result of decreased macrophage oxidative stress and reduced cellular uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein.” 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1928-35.2. Moongkarndi P et al. “Antiproliferation, antioxidation and induction of apoptosis by Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) on SKBR3 human breast cancer cell line.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Jan;90(1):161-6. http://www.pubmed.gov/
3. Li XM et al. “Effect of the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on age-related oxidative stress in aged mice.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Dec 28. http://www.pubmed.gov/
4. Yu MS et al. “Cytoprotective effects of Lycium barbarum against reducing stress on endoplasmic reticulum.” Int J Mol Med. 2006 Jun;17(6):1157-61. http://www.pubmed.gov/
5. Potterat O and Hamburger M. “Morinda citrifolia (Noni) Fruit – Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Safety.” Planta Med. 2007 Feb 7. http://www.pubmed.gov/
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Mangosteen Informational Videos
January 4, 2007 by Marcus Ettinger DC BSc.
Filed under Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Therapy Juices
Here are three informational videos on the benefits of mangosteen juice. Also provided is a link to our Mangosteen Elixir.
California Academy of Health’s Mangosteen Elixir is made with hand harvested, cold pressed mangosteen. To the pure mangosteen juice we add our own proprietary, blend of organic noni juice, goji juice, organic black cherry juice, organic cranberry juice, blueberry juice, organic raspberry juice, pomegranate juice and black elderberry juice. Mangosteen Elixir is a synergistic juice blend of natures most powerful and antioxidant rich superfruits.
