1. Heart Smart:- Garlic can lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots, but it is really good at fighting high blood pressure. Here is how researches think it might work: Garlic breaks down in the body into compounds that contain sulfur which triggers blood vessels to release Hydrogen Sulfide. This helps blood vessels relax and widen keeping blood pressure down.
2. Diabetes Control: -One recent study found that people who took a garlic supplement with their diabetes medication had better control over blood sugar levels. Bonus news is that their cholesterol and triglyceride level improved too.
3. Antioxidant:-The antioxidants destroy free radicals and reduce overall oxidative stress. Free radicals can damage DNA and cell membranes. High levels of oxidative stress have been associated with many diseases and conditions. Antioxidants are also beneficial for preventing types of cancer.
4. Cold comfort:- Garlic may boost the body's ability to fight colds. Some studies have found that people taking garlic supplements get less severe cold.
5. Anti inflammatory: - A popular cold sore home remedy involves holding a bit of crushed garlic directly on the cold sore. Its natural anti-inflammatory properties could help reduce pain and swelling. Garlic supplements may also speed up the healing process, according to ecosalon.com. It could be useful in relieving uncomfortable psoriasis outbreaks also. Try rubbing a little garlic oil on the affected area for smooth, rash-free skin.
6. Weight control:- Garlic could help you control your weight, according to nutritionist Cynthia Sass, who cites a study that showed mice eating a garlic-rich diet reduced their weight and fat stores. Try to cook with garlic daily for tasty and waist-friendly meals.
7. Cancer Preventer:- Increased intake of garlic has been found to be associated with the reduced risk of certain cancers. This includes cancers of the stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas, and breast.
8. Patience rewarded:- While cutting a garlic clove,its cells are broken to release stored enzymes that react with oxygen. This process triggers healthy sulfide compound such as allicin ( cures infections in minor cuts and bruises on your skin)  to form. Letting the chopped garlic stand for 10-15 min before cooking allows the compound to be fully developed before heat inactivating the enzymes.

Sugarcane and Sugarcane cubes

Sugarcane, or Sugar cane, is any of six to 37 species of tall perennial true grasses of the genus Saccharum, tribe Andropogoneae, native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia. 

Sugarcane has been playing a predominant role in South India especially in Tamilnadu and is a most expected harvest in the month of January.

1. Sugarcane has been playing a predominant role in South India especially in Tamilnadu and is a most expected harvest in the month of January.
2. It is a good source of calcium, magnesium etc.
3. Sugarcane, being low on glycemic index, helps keep the body fit and healthy.
4. Sugarcane is considered to be one of the best sources of energy as it provides glucose to the body, which is stored as glycogen and burned by the muscles, whenever they require energy.
5. Also if you have been exposed to heat and physical activity for too long, drink sugarcane juice. It will help hydrate the body quickly.
6. Cane juice is a good source of riboflavin.
7. Sugarcane is believed to reinforce stomach, kidneys, heart, eyes, brain, and sex organs.
8. Sugarcane juice has been beneficial for those who are suffering from febrile disorders. Febrile disorders are responsible for causing fevers, which can result in a great amount of protein loss from the body. Liberal consumption of sugar cane juice provides the necessary protein and other food elements to the body.
9. Sugarcane is helpful for micturation, caused due to high acidity, along with genorrhoea, enlarged prostate, cyctitis and nepthritis.
10. As sugarcane consists of carbohydrates, in good quantities, it serves to refresh and energize the body.
11. It lowers body cholesterol- both LDL and triglyceride
12. Cane juice may be effective in treating scanty urination by promoting clear urine flow and proper kidney function. Studies have proved that cane juice, diluted with lime juice and coconut water, greatly helps in burning sensation associated with urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, kidney stones.
13. Sugarcane is also good for digestion, as it can effectively work as a mild laxative because of its high potassium content.
14. Due to its alkaline nature, sugarcane juice helps the body in fighting against cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer.
15. Cane juice helps in the treatment of jaundice, a condition characterized by the yellow pigmentation of the skin and membranes caused due to elevated levels of billirubin in the body fluids and poor liver function. Consuming one glass sugarcane juice mixed with lime provides relief in jaundice and helps in speed recovery.
16. Sugarcane juice has been found to be very helpful for preventing as well as treating sore throat, cold and flu.
17. Since sugarcane possess no simple sugar, diabetics patients can consume it without any fear. However, the intake should still be limited for people suffering from type-2 diabetes.

Lotus

Benefits of the Lotus Plant

1. The Lotus root are rich in Vitamin C, Potassium and Dietary fiber.
2. Lotus flowers contain linoleic acid, protein, phosphorus, iron and vitamins B and C.
3. The flower of the lotus plant has cooling, soothing and calming properties. It is often used to relieve stress and provide relaxation. 
4. Lotus flower are highly used in facial to improve the texture and condition of the skin.
5. The lotus has been studied to lower the risk of developing various cardiovascular diseases including stroke and heart attacks. 
6. Drinking lotus tea can help treat premature ejaculation. It is also believed to be helpful in curing syphilis and for soothing hyperacidity, acid reflux and burning sensations in the stomach. It also helps treat gastric ulcers. 
7. Lotus seeds can help build lean muscles and strengthen the body. 
8. Lotus roots juice can help clear the throat and the lungs as well as treat colds, coughs and other respiratory ailments.
9. Oil extracted from the lotus flower might be effective in preventing gray hair and stimulating the body's production of melanin.
10. The plant is effectively used to increase memory and create a feeling of euphoria and ecstasy, without the use of narcotics.
11. White lotus is used internally in treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and jaundice.

Tapioca

Health Benefits

1. It is a healthy source of carbohydrates.
2. It is considered a healthy starch because it is low in cholesterol and unhealthy fats.
3. Tapioca is included in dietary plans to promote healthy weight gain.
4. It is low in saturated fats.
5. It does not add bad cholesterol level in the body.
6. It is estimated that every hundred grams of this vegetable yields three hundred and sixty calories of energy.
7. Since it contains mainly starch, it is used for thickening purpose like arrowroot.
8. It is widely employed in cloth washing purpose as it is ideal for stiffening of clothes especially cotton clothes.

Overall, it is a lovely vegetable which can be consumed by just boiling it with little salt.

Look for Tapioca recipes from Indian kitchen here..... 

Radish & its greens

1. Radish is very good for the liver and the stomach.
2. Detoxifer: It purifies blood.
3. Jaudince: It is miraculously useful in jaundice as it helps removing bilirubin and also checks its production. Its leaves are used in treatment of jaudince.
4. This facilitates digestion, retains water, cures constipation and thus gives relief in piles.
5. Radish is effective in fighting oral cancer, colon cancer and intestinal cancer as well as kidney and stomach cancers as it is rich in Vitamin C, folic acid and anthocyanins.
6. Radishes contain Vitamin C, zinc, B-complex vitamins and phosphorus and so are very effective in treating skin disorders such as rashes and dry skin.
7. Radish leaves are good source of calcium.

Apricots

1. Rich in Vitamin A, B2, B3 and C.
2. Have healing and therapeutic property.
3. Blend fresh apricot with honey provides a refreshing, cooling concoction to ease body heat brougyt about by fever.
4. The kernel yields oil that is similar to that of almond.
5. Brings relief to strained muscles.
6. Constipation: Being rich in fibre, it is very helpful in preventing constipation.
7. Digestion: Eating an apricot before meal is believed to boost digestion.
8. Releases increased acidity in stomach as well as alleviate the symptoms of colitis, flatulence and bacterial imbalances.
9. Eyesight improvement: Vitamin A in apricot promotes better eyesight. Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness and impair sight.
10.  Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant, quenches free radical damage to cells and tissues.
11. Holds high beta-carotene content good for heart.

• eat fres or dried
• in vegetable stews
• in green salads
• as jam

Pumpkin

1. Pumpkins are packed with beta carotene, an antioxidant with properties that can help improve immune function and reduce the risk for chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
2. Pumpkin meat is very high in carotenoids. They're what give pumpkins their orange color—but that's the least of their benefits. Carotenoids are really good at neutralizing free radicals, nasty molecules that can attack cell membranes and leave the cells vulnerable to damage.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits in Arthritis: Unlike the widely used anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin, pumpkin seeds do not increase damaged fat levels in the lingus joints, a common side effect associated with indomethacin which contributes to the progression of arthritis.
4. Skin Care: Pumpkins contains lots of anti-oxidant vitamins A and C, as well as zinc and alpha-hydroxy-acids which helps to reduce the signs of aging.
5. Pumpkins are also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which scavenge free radicals in the lens of the eye. Therefore, they may help prevent the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a serious eye problem than usually results in blindness.
6. Pumpkins have a lot of common nutrients, like iron, zinc, and fiber. Iron, of course, is needed by red blood cells.

Bittergourd

1. Bitter gourd has been associated with lowering sugar levels in people suffering from diabetes.
2. Bitter gourd is said to be helpful in fighting against cancer and a number of infections.
3. Bitter gourd has been known to provide relief from constipation and is also effective in the treatment of psoriasis.
4. Bitter gourd helps in improving circulation and in turn, generates slimming effects on the body.
5. Regular consumption of bitter gourd has been associated with prevention as well as treatment of hypertension.
6. Bitter gourd is believed to be helpful in preventing eye complications, apart from treating neuritis.It improves eye-sight due to it high beta-carotene content
7. The juice of the leaf of bitter gourd plant has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of alcoholism.
8. The essential vitamins and minerals present in bitter gourd help in treating defective metabolism of carbohydrates.
9. The bitter tonic properties of bitter gourd have made it effective as a blood purifier.
10. Fresh juice of bitter gourd is good for patients suffering from piles.
11. It removes stomach worms and highly recommended for kids.
12. It is good for asthma patients as it heals respiratory disorders.

Ginger

• Calcium
• Carbohydrate
• Dietary Fiber
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Potassium
• Protein
• Selenium
• Sodium
• Vitamin C, E, B6

1. Menstrual Cramp Relief: Ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.
2. Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy - A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).
3. Heartburn Relief: Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.
4. Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment: Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu.
5. Digestion: Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.
6. Migraine Relief: Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.
7. Ovarian Cancer Treatment: Ginger may be powerful weapon in the treatment of ovarian cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.
8. Colon Cancer Prevention: A study at the University of Minnesota found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.
9. Morning Sickness: A review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.
10. Motion Sickness Remedy: Ginger has been shown to be an effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness. Japanese researchers believe the gingerols found in ginger, may be responsible for blocking the body's reflex to vomit.
11. Reduces Pain and Inflammation: One study showed that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller. Denmark researchers have discovered that ginger can block the effects of prostaglandins. These are substances that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, which leads to migraines.
12. A researcher at Cornell University Medical College discovered that ginger has an effect on blood clots that is similar to that of aspirin. By the same token, it appears that high cholesterol levels are lowered using the same active ingredient, thromboxane.

Cucumber

1. Cooling: During dry and hot weather, drink a glass of cucumber + celery juice. It wonderfully helps to normalize body temperature.
2. Swollen eyes: Some people wake up in the morning with puffy eyes, probably due to too much water retention in the body (or having cried to sleep). To reduce the swelling, lie down and put two slices of cucumber on the eyes for a good ten minutes. Thats what they do in beauty parlours. It keeps out the irritation away from eyes.
3. Skin conditions: The high amount of vitamin C and anti-oxidants in cucumber makes it an important ingredient in many beauty creams for treating eczema, psoriasis, acne, etc.
4. Acidity: The alkalinity of the minerals in cucumber juice effectively helps in regulating the body's blood pH, neutralizing acidity. The juice is also soothing for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers.
5. Blood pressure: Like celery, this colorless drink can help regulate blood pressure because of its minerals and traces of sodium.
6. Hair growth: The silicon and sulfur content in cucumber juice makes it especially helpful in promoting hair growth. Drink it mixed with carrot, lettuce or spinach juice.
7. Diuretic: Cucumber juice is diuretic, encouraging waste removal through urination. This also helps in the dissolution of kidney stones.
8. Building Connective tissues: The excellent source of silica contributes to the proper construction of connective tissues in our body as in the bones, muscles, cartilage, ligaments and tendons.
9. Fever: The temperature regulating properties in cucumber juice makes it a suitable drink when you have a fever.
10. Inflammation: The Chinese think that cucumbers are too "cooling" and not suitable for people with rheumatism. But we know now that cucumber can help counter uric acids that are causing inflammation in joints. When cucumber is taken it does its cleaning work at the joints, thus stirring up pain as it eliminates the uric acid. This means it also help other inflamed conditions like arthritis, asthma, and gout.
11. Sunburn: When there is a sunburn, make cucumber juice and rub it on the affected area for a cooling and healing effect.
12. Water retention: It supplies the necessary electrolytes and restores hydration of the body cells, thus reducing water retention.

Capsicum

• Yellow - lutein, zeaxanthin
• Red - astaxanthin, lycopene
• Orange - alpha, beta and gamma-carotene
• Purple - anthocyanin

1. Capsicum increases the metabolism by lowering triglycerides, which are stored fats in blood corpuscles.This helps in burning calories.
2. Capsicum is an important source of vitamin A and vitamin C. These two vitamins are powerful antioxidants that help in fighting free radicals in the body and help in treating heart diseases, osteoarthritis, bronchial asthma, cataract etc. The free radicals are responsible for causing cellular damage, damage to nerves and blood vessels.
3. Capsaicin found in capsicum blocks the transmission of pain from the skin to the spinal cord and is considered helpful in treating neuralgia, pain associated with herpes zoster and postoperative amputation trauma.
4. The compound capsaicin is also believed to treat cancer by preventing carcinogens from binding with DNA. As a regular dietary intake, it has been found through various studies that eating capsicum can provide some protection from cancer.
5. Capsicum has the capacity to prevent clotting of blood. Vitamin C is found to play a major role in dissolving blood clots.
6. Capsaicin content in capsicum fights off food-borne bacterial diseases like Vibrio vulnificus bacteria found in raw shellfish.

Tomato

1. Its vital anti-oxidant content called 'Lycopene' that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases.  The free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of Lycopene, and the tomato is so amply loaded with this vital anti-oxidant that it actually derives its rich redness from the nutrient.
2. Apart from preventing cancer, heart disease as well as high cholesterol are also in the tomato's sights.
3. Research is now slowly proving that there is a high likelihood that the consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products actually may prevent serum lipid oxidation and reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease.
4. Two powerful compounds found in tomatoes-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid-are thought to block the effects of nitrosamines. These are compounds that not only are formed naturally in the body, but also are the strongest carcinogen in tobacco smoke. By blocking the effects of these nitrosamines, the chances of lung cancer are reduced significantly.
5. They also contain large amounts of vitamin C, providing 40 percent of the daily value (DV). They also contain 15 percent DV of vitamin A, 8 percent DV of potassium, and 7 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron for women and 10 percent RDA for men.
6. They are also a very good source of vitamin B6, niacin, folic acid, fiber, and pantothenic acid. When choosing your tomatoes, be sure to pick those with the most brilliant shades of red. These indicate the highest amounts of beta carotene and lycopene.
7. Red tomatoes contain up to four times the amount of beta-carotene as green tomatoes.

Mint leaves

1. soothing the digestive tract and easing the severity of stomachaches.
2. Drinking herbal mint tea reduces irritated bowel syndromes, cleanses the stomach and also  clear up skin disorders such as acne. Provides a cooling sensation to the skin and can help to treat minor burns, itching and skin irritations.
3. Mint is a strong diuretic and therefore, helps in eliminating toxins from the body.
4. mint reduces the growth of bacteria and fungus in the body on regular intake.
5. help in curing asthma and other allergic conditions.
6. Crushed mint leaves helps in whitening teeth and combat bad breath. .
7. Due to the presence of essential oil called menthol, mint finds its usage in preparing a variety of cosmetics and perfumes and as an important component of many medicines and drugs
8. Mint finds extensive usage in the field of aromatherapy. Ease and unblock the breathing and respiratory passages and airways.
9. Due to its antipruritic or anti-itch properties, it helps to cure insect stings and bites when added with camphor.
10. The phytonutrient, called perillyl alcohol, in mint is believed to prevent colon, skin and lung cancer.
11. Relieve minor aches and pains such as muscle cramps and sprains.
12. Mint is a very good cleanser for the blood.

corriander leaves

1. controlling high cholesterol levels
2. swelling
3. anemic disorders
4. curing mouth ulcers
5. diarrhea
6. aiding digestion
7. small pox
8. skin disorders like dryness and fungal infections, eczema
9. menstural disorders
10. in eye care due to its Vitamin A, C , minerals and essential oils and thus prevents aging of eye, macular degeneration and soothes eyes against stress.
11. controls blood sugar as the secretion of insulin is increased from pancreas which increases the insulin level in the blood, thereby helping proper assimilation and absorption of sugar and resultant fall in the sugar level in the blood.
12. Coriander helps cure ulcer, inflammation, spasm and acts as an expectorant, protects and soothes liver.
13. It is anti-carcinogenic, anti-convulsant, anti-histaminic and hypnotic.