Monthly Archives: February 2022

Vitamin C and Isothiocyanate Concentrations in Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a Brassica family vegetable. Watercress is rich in antioxidants which may explain its health effects. For example, studies show that the leaves of watercress contain 43 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams of fresh leaves. … Continue reading

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Glucosinolates in Brassica rapa (Turnips)

Turnips (Brassica rapa) are a member of the Brassica family of plants. As with all Brassica plants, turnips are high in glucosinolates. Turnip greens are particularly rich in glucosinolates, and this contributes significantly to their bitterness. Glucosinolates can be grouped … Continue reading

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The Phytochemistry of the Turnip (Brassica rapa)

The turnip (Brassica rapa) is a Brassica family vegetable from the same group of plants as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. The turnip is a staple food all across Europe and Asia and has traditionally played a significant role in providing … Continue reading

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Rosemary and Peppermint Essential Oils: Anti-Osteoarthritis Treatment?

Mentha piperita (peppermint) is a hybrid plant which is a cross between Mentha spicata (spearmint) and Mentha aquatica (watermint). Peppermint contains around 1.5 % essential oil with menthols as its main active ingredient. Peppermint has been evidenced to provide significant … Continue reading

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On the Ripening of Mango

Mango is a tropical plant cultivated mainly for its soft sweet fruit. The ripening of mango, as with all fruits, is mainly due to modifications of the cell walls of the tissues. This modification is caused by enzymatic hydrolysis of … Continue reading

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The Health Effects of Lemons

Lemons are an important nutritional crop that belong to the Rutacaea family of plants. Whilst lemons are best known for their bitter and sharp tasting fruit, many parts of the plant can be evidenced to have medicinal effects including the … Continue reading

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Flavanones: Citrus Polyphenols

Citrus fruit is protective of Western lifestyle diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Citrus is a rich source of polyphenols and one of the major polyphenolic groups in citrus are the flavanones, a sub-group of the flavonoids. The flavanones in … Continue reading

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Strawberry Polyphenols and Ripening

Strawberries are a rich source of nutrients including carboxylic acids, polyphenols, vitamin C and cinnamates. Anthocyanins are a group of flavonoid polyphenols that are present in strawberries in high concentrations, and are responsible for the red colour of the fruit. … Continue reading

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The Polyphenol Content of Ripening Apples

Apples are a rich source of polyphenols including catchins of the flavonoid group and chlorogenic acid. It is thought that the polyphenols in apples are responsible for some of the health benefits of apples. The browning of apples during the … Continue reading

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Changes to the Nutritional Content of Apples

Apples are an excellent source of nutrients including water, amino acids, sugars, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. However, within the fruit the nutrients are not homogenous, and therefore certain parts of the apple may be more or less nutritious than other … Continue reading

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