You are what you drink

Did you down a glass of ordinary orange juice at breakfast? Do try to keep up! The new and incredibly nutritious ‘super-juices’ provide a wealth of health-promoting ingredients. Pamela Allardice shows you four wiser ways to wet your whistle.

Amazing acaiThe berries of the Amazonian acai palm (Euterpe oleracea) produce a claret-coloured juice with a sweet flavour, redolent of blackberries and honey. Acai is a rich source of vitamins C and E, and anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that defends tissues against free radical damage, and thus – in theory, at least – slows the ageing process.Acai also provides heart-healthy omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, plus plant sterols, including resveratrol, which reduces blood clotting, and beta-sitosterol, which cuts total cholesterol levels, along with polyphenols, which have a vasodilatory effect, meaning they help to regulate blood pressure.
Gorgeous gojiThe flame-coloured berries of the Tibetan goji plant (Lycium barbarum) have long been used in Asia for medicinal purposes. The colour of the juice is usually a light red and its flavour sharp or refreshing, depending on how sweet a tooth you have.Research indicates that goji berries and juice have immune-boosting activity along with hypoglycaemic (blood sugar-lowering) and hypolipidaemic (blood fat-lowering) effects, making them both possibly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, respectively. (Note: Goji has anticoagulant properties, so consult a health professional if you are on anti-coagulant medication, e.g. Warfarin.)
Mmmmm … mangosteenMangosteen juice has a divine purple colour and a tangy, sweet flavour, somewhere between pear and raspberry. Native to the tropics, mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) boasts the modest nickname, ‘the queen of fruits’, and is packed with xanthones, which are antioxidants that help boost immunity.Several studies into mangosteen show that it has cancer-prevention potential and acts as an antibacterial agent in the body; it also has a powerful antihistamine action, making it potentially useful in treating and preventing allergies.
Perfect pomegranateWith its glorious, rich ruby colour, pomegranate’s Latin name, Punica granatum, translates loosely as ‘seeded apple’, and its tart, citrus-y taste is indeed reminiscent of a crisp Granny Smith apple. Pomegranate – both its seeds and the pulp encasing them – is a mighty source of antioxidants (three times more than red wine or green tea), ellagic acid, and tannins, which all have a cardio-protective effect.Research suggests that pomegranate juice can improve blood flow to the heart, slow the build-up of plaque in arteries, and reduce blood pressure via its effect on angiotensin-converting enzyme (which is actually how many anti-hypertensive medications work.) In one study, pomegranate juice was given to patients who were genetically predisposed to heart disease; the results showed that LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol dropped, HDL (‘good’) levels rose, and oxidation of LDL was cut significantly.Pomegranate also shows promise as a treatment in prostate cancer with another study showing that when patients with the disease took pomegranate, anti-cancer compounds called ellagitannins formed in their prostate tissue which slowed the cancer’s progression.YOUR SAY: What drinks do you enjoy to maintain good health?

Amazing acai

Acai also provides heart-healthy omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, plus plant sterols, including resveratrol, which reduces blood clotting, and beta-sitosterol, which cuts total cholesterol levels, along with polyphenols, which have a vasodilatory effect, meaning they help to regulate blood pressure.

Gorgeous goji

Research indicates that goji berries and juice have immune-boosting activity along with hypoglycaemic (blood sugar-lowering) and hypolipidaemic (blood fat-lowering) effects, making them both possibly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, respectively. (Note: Goji has anticoagulant properties, so consult a health professional if you are on anti-coagulant medication, e.g. Warfarin.)

Mmmmm … mangosteen

Several studies into mangosteen show that it has cancer-prevention potential and acts as an antibacterial agent in the body; it also has a powerful antihistamine action, making it potentially useful in treating and preventing allergies.

Perfect pomegranate

Research suggests that pomegranate juice can improve blood flow to the heart, slow the build-up of plaque in arteries, and reduce blood pressure via its effect on angiotensin-converting enzyme (which is actually how many anti-hypertensive medications work.) In one study, pomegranate juice was given to patients who were genetically predisposed to heart disease; the results showed that LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol dropped, HDL (‘good’) levels rose, and oxidation of LDL was cut significantly.

Pomegranate also shows promise as a treatment in prostate cancer with another study showing that when patients with the disease took pomegranate, anti-cancer compounds called ellagitannins formed in their prostate tissue which slowed the cancer’s progression.