Olives have been eaten and the oil used since biblical times but it wasn’t until recently that they have enjoyed so much press due to their cardioprotective properties. About 1/3 of the olive is monounsaturated fatty acid, commonly refereed to as “the good fat” which is thought to lower cholesterol levels and help prohibit the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Olives are grown mostly in the Mediterranean countries where they are a large part of the diet. Studies have shown that people in the Mediterranean regions who eat a lot of olives tend to have less heart disease as well as less incidence of certain types of cancer.

The olives that we are used to seeing in the stores and eating are not fresh olives from the trees. In their raw state, olives are quite bitter and they must be “cured” in order to be palatable. Different methods of curing produce different flavors in the olives and today, there are dozens of gourmet olives widely available.

Olives can be used to add zest to any dish - but you must pick the right olive to compliment the main food. Some olives can be salty, some sweet and others earthy and rustic. Here’s a guide to the different types of olives and the foods they go best with.

Sweet Flavored Olives

Green olives with herbs de Provence have a vibrant citrus flavored and is a delightful blend of herbs de Provence spices and large green olives. It is an excellent choice to use in surf dishes and with sweet spices.

Earthy Flavored Olives

Nicoises is a earthy rich olive commonly used in salad. The curing of this olive in red-wine vinegar gives it a distinctive taste. Mount Athos green olives with sun-dried tomatoes are olives combined with sun dried tomatoes. The heavy flavor of this olive make it a great snack all by itself! Sun-dried olives have a rich flavor that blends wonderfully in sauces for serving over pasta.

Spicy and Zesty Flavored Olives

Mount Athos green with Sicilian herbs is another olive that utilizes herbs to dominate the pallet. Rosemary, garlic, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes give this olive a spicy appeal. Mount Athos green stuffed with garlic are olives stuffed with garlic and are great to zip up a martini or added on top of pizza. Kalamatas olives are black olives cured in red wine vinegar which results in a tangy taste. Alfonsos are similar in taste to the Kalamata and are often found served in antipastos. Another olive that is similar in taste to the Alfonsos and Kalamatas is the Halkididis which makes a great dip when mixed into cream cheese along with garlic. An olive that has a meaty buttery taste is the Lucques, which is great as a snack with cheese and bruchetta.

Lee Dobbins writes for Online Gourmet Foods where you can find out more about
gourmet appetizers.

Drinking herbal tea is believed to help prevent some serious diseases including cancer. Studies show that drink green tea seems to slow down the growth of certain cancer cells. Green tea is also believed to reduce the risk of getting bladder cancer by as much as fifty percent. Herbal tea drinkers have a pretty chance of avoiding colorectal cancers than those that don’t drink herbal teas. It is also believed that drinking green teas helps reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer. Herbal tea drinks are also less likely to develop pancreatic cancer. It is also believed that drinking herbal teas can help reduce the risk of attracting lung cancer.

Drinking herbal tea also fights other diseases as well as providing other health benefits. Drinking herbal tea can help reduce risk of heart disease, arthritis, liver disease and even tooth decay. Drinking herbal teas can also be used to help manage weight. Tea contains fluoride which helps prevent cavities. Green tea helps fight the bacterium that creates cavities. Drinking herbal tea helps strengthen the immune system to fight off the effects of alcohol chemicals and the chemicals in cigarette smoke. Herbal teas when tested on mice proved to delay the severity of one type of arthritis. As more and more tests are conducted I can only assume teas will be proven to provide more and more health benefits.

1. Pros and cons of drinking herbal tea
2. Types of herbal teas and the benefits of each

Everything about tea in the tea site

Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism caused as a result of the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy. Our bodies use glucose, a form of sugar which our digestive system has broken down from the food we eat, which is then transported around the body via the bloodstream. As the main source of fuel for the body, glucose must get to where it is needed but diabetes stops this process from happening. When the glucose fails to leave the bloodstream as it should, it causes high blood sugar levels.

If you do not know much about this problem, there is some basic information below. Mainly affecting children and young adults, type 1 or juvenile onset diabetes occurs when insulin production stops completely; this means insulin must be given to the diabetic on a daily basis for them to live. Insulin works like a catalyst, enabling the glucose produced by food to be absorbed by the cells and used as energy. Adult onset diabetes affects older people as the name suggests but differs from type one; it results when the body either cannot produce enough insulin or does not use the insulin it makes properly.

To stay alive we need energy, something which is supplied in abundance by everyday foods like various pastas, bread, potatoes, rice and fruit for instance. Some serious conditions can result from excess levels of glucose in the blood including blindness, heart and kidney disease and even the removal of limbs. Specialists in diabetes will tell you that provided you do exactly what your care and management program tells you to do, your condition will start to improve; these conditions will vary form person to person but most should see improvements with some complaints halted altogether. It is possible to live a relatively normal life provided you stick to the plan laid out by your doctor; this includes watching your blood sugar levels, blood fat and cholesterol in addition to quitting smoking.

Apart from this, your blood pressure and weight should not go above the limits your doctor advised. The bad news about this is diabetes a life long condition; the USA is particularly badly hit with over 5.5 million sufferers. The frightening thing is that it is estimated that at least the same number of people has this condition but just don’t know it yet; each year there are over six hundred thousand new cases. Officially, the number of deaths each year directly attributable to diabetes is 34,000 although in reality this figure is closer to 320,000 individuals; whilst not as a direct result, it is a significant contributing factor in a large number of these deaths.

Wood Kitchenware
I love the feel of my birdseye maple sugar spoon. It looks good, but more important, it feels good. To keep it looking good for a long time, I’ve spent time researching the best care and cleaning advice I could find. Today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about caring for wooden spoons, bowls and cutting boards.

Routine care: Wash your cutting boards or spoons with soap and water. I recommend all natural real soaps like Sunflower or Dr. Bronner’s. To be extra effective, use a scrub brush to get into any nooks or crannies.

Always air dry your wooden ware. Be sure water does not pool inside a bowl or on your wooden ware.

Occasionally sanitize your wooden ware. Did you know, studies have shown that wood is more sanitary that those polyethylene, hard plastic boards? Visit http://stowe-vt.blogspot.com/ for more details and for recipes for homemade sanitizing solution.

“Do Not”s:

1. Do not soak your wood in water for more than 10 minutes,

2. Do not store it in your oven if it has a pilot light,

3. Do not leave it in bright sunlight for long periods,

4. Do not put wooden ware in the dishwasher.

5. Do not leave metal objects on a wet board, the metal will mark it.

Sometimes your wood will need a little extra love & care. Signs your wooden ware needs more attention:

1. It is changing color, getting darker or lighter

2. The surface is becoming rough or “feathery”

3. It feels tacky or sticky.

How to refinish your wood spoons and bowls:
Cover your counter with several layers of newspaper. If there appears to be a layer of oil on your wooden ware, scrape off what you can with a wooden spatula. Clean and sanitize as described above. Then, wet the entire piece with water and coat it with lots of kosher salt. After ten minutes, wet a soft cloth with warm water and scrub the piece. The salt draws out bacteria and gently smoothes the finish. Alternately, use 120 grit sandpaper.

Once it is dry, oil the wood. I use Ed’s cutting board oil. This product has a natural walnut oil base. Some people prefer mineral oil, saying it is more stable than nut oils. Mineral oil, though, is a man made petroleum product and many hand crafters prefer nut oils. Nut oils are safe, natural and environmentally friendly.

Ed says “Shake the bottle thoroughly to distribute the beeswax, then apply liberally. Rub the oil in with a soft cloth in the direction of the grain.” Many woodworkers recommend oiling with clean bare hands. The warmth and friction from your fingers helps the oil penetrate deeper. After a few hours of drying, wipe off any oil not absorbed. Then do it again. Two coats is normally enough to last months. If you find your pieces need retreatment sooner than this, try three or four coats.

Stephen Fishman
http://www.stowecraft.com

Coffee is heavily studied, but study results contradict one another. If science says that it is bad for you today, wait a day or two and another study will be published claiming the exact opposite findings.

The Good:

Coffee has had its medicinal purposes. My own ancestors used it to treat asthma. Certain chemicals in coffee have even be proven effective at stimulating bronchial dilation of people previously diagnosed with specific types of asthma. Some modern day asthma medications are even made from chemicals in the caffeine family.

Newly published findings suggest that men drinking caffeinated beverages, including coffee, have as much as a 3 to 6 times lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

The caffeine in coffee increases your metabolic rate, making weight loss faster and easier. It has also been associated with a reduced risk of suicide in women.

The Bad:

Women who drink more than one cup a day of decaf are considered at a much higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. The theory is that the chemically decaffeinated products are causing the increased risk of autoimmunity. If you are going to drink decaffeinated coffee anyway, be sure that it uses a non-chemical based method.

Those at risk of heart disease and stroke should avoid coffee. Drinking coffee interferes with your body’s ability to keep homocysteine and cholesterol levels in check and can increase blood pressure. (According to a study done in the Netherlands, this is true even if the coffee is filtered.) Raised levels of homocysteine are as a factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. Australian researchers found drinking coffee has potentially harmful effects on blood vessels. The caffeine may cause a loss of aortic elasticity, the main artery supplying blood to the body.

The findings are disputed by the coffee industry and some studies, but it also appears to be associated with an increased risk for breast and endometrial cancer. This is due to an increase in estrogen levels.

Studies have also shown that caffeine in coffee can raise levels of stress hormones and can lead to heart palpitations, jitters, and nervousness. People with panic or anxiety disorders can be especially sensitive to the caffeine in coffee. Even in small amounts, the stimulant can exacerbate their symptoms.

Coffee relaxes the esophagus causing reflux.

The Ugly:

Pregnant and nursing women should never drink coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant drug that easily passes through the placenta to the developing fetus and is also transferred through breast milk. Fetuses have no ability to detoxify caffeine. Drink coffee increases the risk of miscarriage and various birth defects.

For more information, visit the following:

How Bad is it Really? http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/10/coffee.htm

Coffee Drinkers Face Lower Parkinson’s Disease Risk
http://www.mercola.com/2000/may/28/coffee_parkinson.htm

Coffee May Damage Blood Vessels
http://www.mercola.com/2000/sep/17/coffee_blood_vessels.htm

Coffee and Suicide http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9603/coffee_suicide/

Coffee and Diabetes http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/news/coff_diab.htm

Coffee and Reflux http://www.s-t.com/daily/03-97/03-11-97/b01ho075.htm

Coffee and Addiction
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=C1VYBJVSS04E2CRBAEZSFFA?type=healthNews&storyID=6369844

Heidi Whitaker is an author and speaker on the topic of nutritional support of autoimmune disease. She is also the co-owner of http://www.healthydivas.com. To read other articles written by Heidi or to learn how to participate in her next free teleseminar, visit her blog at http://autoimmune.myblogsite.com/blog.

Grilled albacore tuna steak recipes add flair to your dinner table. Asians have a way of spicing up any fish dish with their own wasabi powder. This is a Japanese horseradish and many chefs today use this spice to bring a very unique flavor to tuna steak.

Here is just once example of grilled albacore tuna steak recipes that use the spice above. You will need to have the following ingredients to prepare this delectable meal; tuna steaks, cup of teriyaki marinade, 4 ounces of butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon of wasabi powder, 2 chopped green onions, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil, salt and pepper. First you will need to marinate your tuna steaks in the teriyaki marinade. You should place the tuna steaks in the marinade and turn to coat the entire steak in the marinade. Marinate for at least one hour in a covered dish in the refrigerator. You can marinate overnight if you prefer. When you ready to cook your meal, mix together the wasabi powder and green onions in a bowl and set aside. Get your grill ready; lightly brush your tuna with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. You can use the remaining marinade to baste your tuna steaks while they are grilling. Grill your tuna steaks to desired doneness and serve with the butter.

Instead of using the wasabi butter recipe for your grilled albacore tuna steak recipes you can make your own unique sauce to accompany your delicious meal. You may enjoy a spicier sauce, if so you should try this one. You will need 1/3 cup of your favorite steak sauce, cup of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of hot sauce or pepper sauce, cup butter of margarine melted, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, salt, and teaspoon of curry powder. Mix all of these ingredients together and use as a marinade. Also baste your tuna steaks while grilling.

About the Author

Hans is owner and one of the editors of: Steaks Guides, a Collection of Free Steak Recipes”