From Fighting Cancer to Keeping You Regular, Here’s Why Mango is “The King of Fruits”

Mangoes (along with bananas) are one of the most widely consumed fruits worldwide. A common nickname for this stone fruit, native to South Asia, is “The King of Fruits.” In India, a basket of mangoes is considered a gesture of friendship.

Watermelon Lives Up to its Weight in Nutritional Value

Your favorite summertime fruit may not even really be a fruit! Many sources report that watermelon is really a vegetable that is part of the cucumber family. Fruit or vegetable, watermelon is a delicious and popular food around the world. There are more than 1,000 varieties of watermelon grown worldwide, and watermelon is grown in more than 90 countries worldwide.

All the Ways a Peach is Really Healthier Than it Tastes

Both fruits and vegetables are critical for a healthy life. But sometimes I think we over-emphasize vegetables at the expense of fruits.

Why it “FIGures.” All the Health Benefits of Eating Figs

Figs are one of the oldest fruits known, and California ranks first in the nation for fig production. It has been reported Franciscan monks, who started missions from San Diego to Sonoma, brought figs to California from the Mediterranean around 1768. The name Black Mission Figs was created, because figs were planted in all the missions along the Camino Real.

Jackfruit: The 100 Pound Fruit That’s Worth The Heavy Lifting

I recently saw jackfruit in a grocery store in San Diego. It is a very unique fruit, which I ate as a child growing up in Jamaica. The fruit is so huge, I suspected it might be packed with a bunch of nutrients. It is possible many of you have never tried or maybe never even heard of jackfruit, so I decided to do some research to figure out what benefits this most unusual fruit contains.

For the Love of Loquats: A Fruit You May Have to Grow but Well Worth it

I’m an avid gardener and always interested in adding different fruit trees to my existing collection. I recently discovered and planted kumquats in my garden. Growing a variety of nutritious fruits that I can snack on, throw in a smoothie or make a simple fruit salad with is one of my special ways of being proactive about my diet and health.

5 Benefits of Eating Kumquats Everyone Should Know

Recently, I visited Armstrong Garden Centers in my neighborhood to add some fruit trees to my existing collection of guavas, oranges, lemons and grapefruits. My goal was to diversify and add some other fruit trees that would be low maintenance and be equally, or more, nutritious than the ones I currently have. With the help of the salesperson, I discovered kumquats and took a few of them home to plant in my garden.

What’s the big deal about pesticides?

Pesticides have a bad name among health-conscious consumers. Many are concerned about the health implications of pesticide exposure, especially among children, pets and the shrinking honeybee population. But farmers who use them might say that pesticides are necessary chemicals for protecting their crops from parasitic insects and a multitude of plant diseases. Farmers constantly face the challenge of new and old crop diseases, and they have to make sure their crops aren’t responsible for spreading any illnesses among consumers. Let’s be proactive and understand how pesticides may be affecting your health.

Can antioxidants be too much of a good thing?

Antioxidants seem to be a “cure-all” for just about anything and everything. We hear about antioxidant-rich superfoods in the news, and advertisements are dripping with promises for better health. They're known for their ability to fight free radicals, and this is good news. Free radicals make you age faster and deteriorate your health. But does that mean you should load up on anything labeled “antioxidant”? Not necessarily. Here’s why.

Thinking about a juice cleanse? Read this first

Juice bars are popping up on every corner, especially here in Southern California. For many people, it has become perfectly normal to drink seven dollars' worth kale and ginger for breakfast. These days, it seems everyone is trying a juice cleanse.