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Article -- Mexican Style Chili with Baked Vegetables and Rice - the health benefitsAuthor: Paul Hooper-Kelly Apart from the amazing contrasts in tastes in this very satisfying meal it is also crammed with good things for your body. Every single vegetable has health benefits and cooking them gently in an oven preserves most of the vitamins and minerals, whilst intensifying the flavor. Most vegetables lose vitamins and minerals when cooked, which is why cooking should be as gentle and as sparing as possible. However, carrot is one vegetable which actually benefits from cooking, as this breaks down the cells and allows it to release more of the beta-caratone (which provides the orange color). Beta-caratone is a pre-cursor of Vitamin A, which the body can use to safely produce just sufficient Vitamin A for its needs. Getting your Vitamin A this way avoids the possibility of overdosing on this vitamin, which is a possibility with Vitamin A pills. Garlic is, of course, well known as a cholesterol buster and strengthener of blood vessels, as well as being anti fungal and anti-bacterial. The most active ingredient in garlic is allicin, which is released when the clove is crushed, so by gently roasting the clove whole, this wonder food still retains some of it's tremendous health giving benefits, whilst becoming far more palatable than when raw! Onions are a member of the garlic family and so also a powerful anti-oxidant, combating the free radicals which -- literally-- make our bodies rust up. Although we use white onions in this dish, you can use red, yellow or white onions -- or all three! Red and yellow onion, whilst not having such a strong flavor as the white, are more beneficial, being the richest dietary source of quercetin, which is a potent antioxidant and sedative (also found in shallots). The body cannot store Vitamin C, so it's necessary to have a daily intake of this vital element. Sweet peppers (particularly the bright red ones) are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a medium sized red sweet pepper provides more than three times the recommended daily intake. By only cutting the pepper into large slices and lightly roasting, you minimize the loss of this valuable vitamin. Sweet peppers also contain capsaicin which appears to have the ability to stop damaging cell changes. The cauliflowerets are one of the cruciferous family of vegetables, which also include cabbage, broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts. Scientists are investigating the phytochemical, called suloraphane, found in this group of vegetables. Suloraphane appears to have the ability to detoxify carcinogenic molecules in cells by activating phase 2 enzymes, which are naturally occurring proteins preset in human cells. The most effective of this group of vegetables is Brussels sprouts. Butter beans and chick peas are full of soluble fiber, which helps combat cholesterol. Celery, is one of the mainstays of cooking in the southern United States and has been used as a remedy for high blood pressure since 200BC. It works by reducing concentrations of stress hormones, which cause the blood vessels to contract. Whilst brown rice is more beneficial than white, this dish does taste better with white rice. However, white rice also has merit, so there's not much harm in having it once in a while. An American professor compared the eating habits of large group of folk with their health and found that those who eat large amounts of rice plus beans and sweet corn enjoyed low rates of colon, breast and prostate cancer. Copyright 2007 Paul Hooper-Kelly and RemodelYourLife.com |
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Video - Mexican Chili with Baked Vegetables and Rice Recipe - Mexican Chili with Baked Vegetables and Rice Recipe - New Potatoes Roasted In Garlic Rosemary And Olive Oil Current eBay Auctions: $1.50 OFF Rachel Ray Nutrish Just 6 Treats / Healthy Weight Treats for DOGS *** CHINESE STYLE COOKING RECIPES COOKBOOK 2 EBOOKS CD-ROM Rachael Ray 3-qt. Stoneware Mixing Bowl in ORANGE Rachael Ray 10-Piece Porcelain Enamel Cookware RED Rachael Ray 4 qt Casserole w/ lid green Rachael Ray Bubble and Browns Bakers BLUE casseroles Rachael Ray Bubble and Browns Bakers BLUE casseroles Rachael Ray 3-qt. Stoneware Mixing Bowl in ORANGE |
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