It is impossible to understate the importance of water. This odorless, colorless liquid, which covers two-thirds of the Earth’s surface and comprises 75% of the human body, is absolutely necessary for all life. Indeed, out of all the nutrients we require in our diet, water is – by far – the one we need the most in terms of volume. Despite its importance, however, several of the questions surrounding water – how much of it…
Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants responsible for absorbing the light necessary for photosynthesis. It is often considered to be the “blood” of plants, since it comprises the basic physiology of the plant and is required for their basic metabolic functions, such as growth and respiration. While most land plants contain chlorophyll to some degree, those with the deepest green colors contain the greatest concentrations of it. Though humans cannot photosynthesize and therefore cannot…
Health researchers have long recognized the biological importance of antioxidants. Due to their ability to inhibit oxidation and peroxidation, these important substances – which are found in most whole foods – provide us with numerous health benefits. They guard us from cellular damage and degenerative diseases, minimize wrinkles and preserve skin texture, reduce the incidence of sunburn, and much more. While most people are familiar with the most common antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, there…
“Vitamin E” is an umbrella term for a group of 8 fat-soluble compounds that are found in a wide variety of whole foods. These compounds, of which alpha-Tocopherol is the most biologically active, have a large number of functions in the body. This article takes a closer look at those functions and provides information on how much of the vitamin our bodies need daily. What Vitamin E Does for Us Antioxidant properties – Like vitamins…
Vitamin K is a group of fat-soluble vitamins that are primary found in leafy green vegetables. Within this group are three naturally-occurring forms of the vitamin: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. In medicine, K1 (which is synthesized by plants) is the preferred form of vitamin K because it is more potent, less toxic, works faster, and works better at treating certain conditions than K2. However, vitamin K2 (which is produced by the intestinal bacteria of…
