America's Cranberry Craving

The cranberry harvest is wrapping up in North America. The ruby red berries are a fixture of holiday feasts in the U.S.A., from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas. Seven years ago, cranberry growers were pushed to the brink by a crash in wholesale prices.

But now cranberries are again a hot commodity, and here's a safe prediction: diners who sit down for an American Thanksgiving meal will have a tart side dish. Nine out of 10 Thanksgiving dinners include cranberry sauce, according to market researchers.

The cranberry is one of the few fruits that's native to North America. It grows in wet lowlands called bogs. Today, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and the Pacific Northwest are the main cranberry producing regions, and practically all of this year's crop has now been harvested by farmers like Bob Quinby. He says he's enjoyed working the land since he was kid. "It's a lifestyle. You're your own boss. You're outdoors. You get to do different things in the spring, a different job in the summer. Harvest is different than the rest."

Quinby is a second-generation cranberry grower. He farms near Grayland, on the Washington State coast. Earlier this month [October], you'd have found him walking behind a harvester machine, a straw hat shading his face. The picker-pruner contraption separates the cranberries from the low-lying vines and funnels them into burlap bags.

Quinby says he picks his fruit when the bog is dry so that it keeps better for the fresh market. "We get a premium for the fresh fruit berry. But they need to be dry harvested and we're set up for dry harvesting." Berries destined to become juice or sauce tend to be skimmed off a flooded bog. That's considered more efficient.

Quinby survived a shakeout in his industry in the late 1990's. Cranberry prices crashed seven years ago, losing 80 percent of their value. The primary culprit, he says: over-supply.

"Because the price had been high for quite a while, there was some over-planting that got ahead of sales. A lot of the independents outside of Ocean Spray planted more than what they could sell and then they started dropping the price of concentrate in order to sell more." He recalls having to cash in his retirement savings and sell a life as golf caddies at a nearby luxury resort.

Wholesale prices have steadily rebounded. A big investment by the world's dominant processor, Ocean Spray Cranberries, signals even better times ahead.

The sounds and smells of construction replace the sweet aroma of cooked cranberries in a wing of the Ocean Spray plant near Aberdeen, Washington. Plant manager Rick Hole says the cooperative is spending tens of millions of dollars to expand and renovate this factory and sister plants in Wisconsin and Massachusetts. "Since 1999, this the brightest future I think we've seen for a long time," he says. "We're definitely tickled about the huge investment."

Most of the new spending is to add packing lines for sweetened, dried cranberries. Surging demand for these so-called "craisins" has been a major factor in boosting profits. Hole explains, "These craisins are sold as an ingredient. They're appearing in over 1,000 different food types like yogurt, energy bars. A lot of people use them on their salads, and cereals, muffins."

The tasty topping is also said to be especially good for your insides, according to a string of medical studies that Rick Hole eagerly touts. "We've done a lot of work on the healthy aspect of the cranberry. I think that's been important." Medical researchers found that cranberries suppress "bad" bacteria in the digestive tract. They help the body ward off urinary tract infections, stomach ulcers and gum disease. Not something you want to think about at the dinner table perhaps, but the kind of news a grower calls "cran-tastic."

Source:
VOA News Service
Author: Tom Banse
First published: October 30, 2006

Eating Vegetables May Help Slow Memory Loss in the Elderly

New research from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago indicates your mother was right: eating vegetables is good for you. Epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris found that eating vegetables every day seems to slow mental decline and the development of Alzheimer's disease in old age.

Morris has been looking at the eating habits of thousands of elderly Chicago residents for more than a decade. "Every 3 years we go into their homes and ask them all sorts of questions about their health and lifestyle," she explains. "But also, we administer tests that measure their thinking ability. So that we can look at changes in their thinking ability over time."

Morris had people record the kinds of fruits and vegetables they ate and how often. She found that people who ate more servings of vegetables per day had memories that deteriorated more slowly than those who didn't eat vegetables. "People who consumed two to three vegetable servings per day had a 40 percent reduction in the rate of their decline in their thinking ability, compared to people who consumed around one or no servings of vegetables a day." Eating fruits didn't do as much to preserve thinking ability as eating vegetables.

Morris found that some kinds of vegetables are better than others at preventing memory loss. She asked study participants about green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and legumes, or beans. "The more green leafy vegetables they consumed, the slower their rate of decline in thinking ability," she reports. "We also found evidence of association with the other types of vegetables, except for legumes. But the relation was not as strong as for green leafy
vegetables." Morris believes the benefit was derived from those vegetables with especially high levels of vitamin E.

Source:
VOA News Service
Author: Rose Hoban
First published: October 30, 2006

World Bank Proposes Carbon Trading to Save Rainforests

The World Bank says rapidly diminishing tropical forests could be saved if farmers and loggers were paid not to cut the trees. It proposes to extend the current international system of carbon trading for this purpose because it says the trees are worth much more to the world standing.

Rainforests are thought to hold more than half of the world's plant and animal species and store an immense amount of the planet's carbon. But the World Bank says these woodlands are disappearing at a rate of five percent per decade at the hands of farmers, loggers, and others seeking to use the land and its lush growth for profit - or mere survival. That is an area the size of Portugal lost every year.

A new World Bank report says burning and rotting wood after deforestation releases one-fifth of Earth's annual emissions of carbon dioxide, twice the amount from all motor vehicles.

"So It's a major contributor to global warming, a major threat to global biodiversity, and there are a host of local environmental damages - health threatening smog, stream polluting sediment, and the like," says Kenneth Chomitz, who wrote the World Bank report, a series of recommendations to slow deforestation. "There is now a chance on the policy horizon to mobilize new incentives to conserve forests, to keep forests standing."

The World Bank's main recommendation is to use the world's carbon market to reduce rain forest loss. At present, the market operates to reduce carbon emissions from industry and other sources. Nations and companies that emit more carbon than a predetermined limit buy credits from projects that reduce emissions.

The International Emissions Trading Association says the global carbon market has grown very rapidly and is worth $22 billion, twice its 2005 value.

But the concept is not yet used to preserve forests, as World Bank chief economist Francois Bourguignon points out.

"Today, it is possible to obtain carbon funds for forestation," he said. "Now, the paradox is that when you cut the forests, you are not penalized for doing that and you are not getting any money when you keep the trees standing."

The World Bank proposes to change that to benefit the 800 million people who depend on tropical forests for their livelihood. Kenneth Chomitz says it makes no sense for a farmer to cut a hectare of rainforest to create a pasture worth $300 when the cleared trees release $7,500 worth of carbon based on an approximate current market value of $1,500 a ton.

If tropical forest preservation were included in the carbon trading scheme, the farmer could receive the $7,500 from polluters and earn 25 times the agricultural value of the pasture.

"Wouldn't it be great if we could get the farmer and the industrialist or utility owner sitting at the same table, figuring out how they can split the difference and make themselves both better off," said Chomitz.

But Chomitz says a carbon financing system could set off a disruptive race for property rights, a race that would favor the wealthy. So his report recommends that developing nations assign ownership and land use rights equitably in a manner that can be monitored publicly.

At the Ford Foundation, a U.S. philanthropy, environment and development official David Kaimowitz praises the World Bank report, but says it ignores some strategies that would improve the livelihoods of forest dwellers.

These include the need for governments to make rainforest safer by reasserting their domain and clearing them of bandits and drug dealers. Kaimowitz also says the bank should devote more attention to helping those who depend on or near forests develop small businesses.

"One of the three main pillars of the 2004 World Bank forestry strategy is precisely to harness forest resources to reduce rural poverty," he said."But if we look at the bank's current portfolio, the reality is there is a surprisingly few number of projects that are, in fact, focused on using forest resources to reduce rural poverty."

But Kaimowitz calls the World Bank's carbon trading scheme and other forest-saving proposals useful and says he hopes they actually guide its strategies.

Source:
VOA News Service
Author: David McAlary
First published: October 30, 2006

Valerian

Valeriana officinalis

This fact sheet provides basic information about the herb valerian: common names, uses, potential side effects, and resources for more information. Valerian is a plant native to Europe and Asia; it is also found in North America.

Common Names: valerian, all-heal, garden heliotrope

Latin Names: Valeriana officinalis

Uses:

• Valerian has long been used for sleep disorders and anxiety.
  
• Valerian has also been used for other conditions, such as headaches, depression, irregular heartbeat, and trembling.
  

The roots and rhizomes (underground stems) of valerian are typically used to make supplements, including capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts, as well as teas.

Scientific Research

Research suggests that valerian may be helpful for insomnia, but there is not enough evidence from well-designed studies to confirm this.

There is not enough scientific evidence to determine whether valerian works for anxiety or for other conditions, such as depression and headaches.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Studies suggest that valerian is generally safe to use for short periods of time (for example, 4 to 6 weeks).
  
• No information is available about the long-term safety of valerian.
  
• Valerian can cause mild side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, and tiredness the morning after its use.
  
• Tell your health care providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using, including valerian. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.
  

Source:
U.S. National Institutes of Health

Eating Your Vegetables Helps Fight Stress

Eating vegetables on a regular basis for two weeks helped volunteers in a nutrition study reduce levels of stress-related molecules and boost their blood levels of vitamin C (Journal of Nutrition, volume 134, pages 3021-3025).

Twelve healthy men and women participated in this collaborative study. In addition to other foods, each volunteer ate two daily servings of gazpacho--a chilled soup made with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, garlic and olive oil. By the seventh day of the two-week-long study, volunteers' blood levels of vitamin C had increased by at least 20 percent and remained elevated for the rest of the study.

Levels of four stress molecules decreased significantly. For instance, by the halfway point in the study, uric acid was reduced by 8 to 18 percent. High levels of uric acid can cause gout, a form of arthritis, and may increase risk of cardiovascular disease.

Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture

How Many Fruits & Vegetables Should You Eat?

Now it's easy to find out with the online fruit and vegetable serving calculator at 5ADay.gov. Just enter your age, gender, and level of physical activity and it'll provide you a suggested number of servings per day.

A growing body of research shows that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health. To get the amount that's recommended, most people need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they currently eat every day.

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.

Fruits and veggies come in terrific colors and flavors, but their real beauty lies in what’s inside. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, or white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.

Learn more about the specific nutrients provided by fruits and vegetables with this Nutrient Guide.

Source:
5ADay.gov

Wildflower & Native Plant FAQ

What is a native plant, anyway?

A native plant is one that occurs naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without direct or indirect human intervention. We consider the flora present at the time Europeans arrived in North America as the species native to the eastern United States. Native plants include all kinds of plants from mosses and ferns to wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.

Are native plants a better choice for your garden?

The answer lies, in part, in your own judgement. Native woodland wildflowers will never give your shady garden the riots of color that can be had with impatiens and caladiums, but if you like to garden with elegant and underused plants, they are great. If you want to create a garden that emulates nature, they are essential. As with any plant that you want to grow, however, the right plant must be matched with the right spot. There are a myriad of native plants that thrive in every type of habitat imaginable. It's your job to do some research to find the best species for your hot, dry slope, that wet swale in the back, or the dry shade under your oak tree.

Does digging wildflowers from the wild hurt the environment?

Absolutely! Removing wildflowers from the wild is harmful for three reasons. First, you diminish the natural population and consequently reduce the diversity within that population. With less diversity, a plant population may be less capable of responding to environmental changes; it may perish if suddenly stressed by disease, insects, or sudden extremes in weather. Second, nature is likely to fill the vacuum you create when you dig up a wildflower with a plant of a different species, often an invasive weed. Finally, wild collected plants often perform poorly in the garden. Plants propagated in a nursery or grown from wild collected seed or cuttings, are much more likely to survive transplanting.

Should I fertilize my wildflowers?

Many native plants are well adapted to soils with meager nutrients. Most native woodland perennials do well with the nutrients that are released slowly by the decomposition of leaves. Prairie plants may have a greater need for lime than for fertilizer in areas where the soil is naturally very acidic. We fertilize our plants very little, and rely on organic mulches such as shredded leaves to supply nutrients. When we do fertilize, organic sources of nutrients are applied in the fall every three years; a small amount of fertilizer is applied only to the plant species that require the extra nutrients.

What is the best mulch to use on my woodland wildflower garden?

Woodland wildflowers flourish when mulched with slightly decomposed leaves. Shred or compost leaves that do not break down quickly, such as those from oak and beech trees, before applying them to beds of wildflowers.

Where can I get native plants?

Buy plants from a reputable nursery or grow them from seed yourself. You may be surprised to learn that some wildflowers are still taken from the wild to be sold at commercial nurseries, particularly the slow growing trilliums, orchids, and lilies. This practice has a negative impact on biodiversity and often the plants don't survive. When buying native plants make sure that the nursery propagates what it sells or buys from wholesalers who propagate plants from nursery grown stock plants. Fortunately, conservation-minded native plant nurseries that specialize in propagating and selling native plants have sprung up all over the country; your local native plant society may be able to recommend one to you.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a great resource for all kinds of native plant and wildflower information. The Center's web site at www.wildflower.org lists state wildflower and native plant societies.

Source:
United States National Arboretum

Related topics:
Preserving our native plants
Benefits of landscaping with native plants

Orange Oil: Cholesterol Fighter?

Oil from orange peels contains compounds that lower blood levels of the "bad" LDL and VLDL cholesterols, studies with laboratory hamsters have revealed.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Canada's KGK Synergize found the cholesterol-fighting effect in tests of peel-based natural chemicals called polymethoxylated flavones, or PMFs.

Hamster feed containing one percent PMFs lowered the animals' blood LDL and VLDL levels by 30 to 40 percent, the scientists report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (volume 52, pages 2879 to 2886). Followup studies will determine whether PMFs have the same effect in humans and, if so, may lead to a profitable new use of juice-processing leftovers.

Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Fighting Cancer with Broccoli Seeds

Broccoli seeds may become an economical source of a cancer-fighting compound known as glucoraphanin. Extracting glucoraphanin from the seed for pharmaceutical purposes would be easier, and less expensive, than using broccoli heads.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, S.C., intend to breed broccoli plants that are prolific producers of seed rich in the compound (HortScience, volume 40, pages 50 to 53).

Already, the researchers have produced relatively high-glucoraphanin broccoli plants, some of which form seed without the help of insect pollinators.

Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Eating Whole Grains Linked to Lower Rates of Heart Disease

Older adults who ate nearly three servings of whole-grain foods daily were significantly less likely to die from heart disease than those who ate fewer servings.

That's according to a study conducted by researchers at the ARS Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Mass., and their colleagues, and published in the January 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (volume 83, pages 124 to 131).

They based their findings on their 1981-1984 analysis of three-day food records and blood tests from 535 healthy male and female participants older than 60, and their 12- to 15-year follow-up to assess the causes of death among participants during those years.

When sorted into groups according to the amount of whole-grain foods they ate, those who ate the most—an average of about 2.9 servings a day—had significantly less risk of dying from heart disease than those in the group with the lowest intake. (Whether the participants changed their preference for whole grains during the follow-up period is not known.)

The scientists concluded that adults of all ages should increase the amount of whole grains they eat to three servings a day—the recommended level—or even more.

Today, most Americans eat less than one daily serving of a whole-grain food.

Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Vegetables Can Help Girls Avoid Obesity

Eating veggies — low in calories and an excellent source of fiber — may help preteen girls maintain a healthy weight. That’s indicated in a study by Children’s Nutrition Research Center scientists at Houston, Texas, and their colleagues.

Analysis of food records completed by 114 African-American girls aged 8 to 10 showed that those who reported eating more vegetables had healthier BMI (Body Mass Index) scores (Obesity Research, volume 12 (Suppl.), pages 53S to 63S).

Preteen African-American girls have potentially higher-than-normal obesity rates and may be at a greater risk of heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and stroke when they grow up.

Parents can help their daughters by serving veggies at meals and keeping a variety of low-calorie veggie snacks handy in the refrigerator.

Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture