Romaine lettuce

Comment: This week we will be enjoying Romain lettuce. Our kids love salad, and this week we will make salads with all kinds of additives like cheese and other vegetables and cereals.

Not all lettuce is created equal, but if you start your meal with a salad made of romaine lettuce you will be sure to add not only a variety of textures and flavors to your meal but an enormous amount of nutritional value. Most of the domestic U.S. harvest of romaine lettuce and other salad greens comes from California and is available throughout the year.

Lettuce is synonymous with salads as they are predominantly made from crispy green lettuce leaves. Most varieties of lettuce exude small amounts of a white, milky liquid when their leaves are broken. This “milk” gives lettuce its slightly bitter flavor and its scientific name, Lactuca sativa derived from the Latin word for milk.

• Health Benefits
• Description
• History
• How to Select and Store
• How to Enjoy
• Safety
• Nutritional Profile
• References

Health Benefits

Want to maximize the health benefits of your salads? Start with romaine lettuce for a salad guaranteed to be packed with nutrients. The vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber found in romaine lettuce are especially good for the prevention or alleviation of many common health complaints.

Due to its extremely low calorie content and high water volume, romaine lettuce —while often overlooked in the nutrition world—is actually a very nutritious food. Based on its nutrient richness, our food ranking system qualified it as an excellent source of vitamin A (notably through its concentration of the pro-vitamin A carotenoid, beta-carotene), vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, manganese, and chromium. Romaine lettuce also emerged from our ranking system as a very good source of dietary fiber and 6 vitamins and minerals.

Salad Days Keep Your Heart Young

Romaine’s vitamin C and beta-carotene content make it a heart-healthy green. Vitamin C and beta-carotene work together to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. When cholesterol becomes oxidized, it becomes sticky and starts to build up in the artery walls forming plaques. If these plaques become too large, they can block off blood flow or break, causing a clot that triggers a heart attack or stroke. The fiber in Romaine lettuce adds another plus in its column of heart-healthy effects. In the colon, fiber binds to bile salts and removes them from the body. This forces the body to make more bile, which is helpful because it must break down cholesterol to do so. This is just one way in which fiber is able to lower high cholesterol levels.

Equally beneficial to heart health is Romaine’s folic acid content. This B vitamin is needed by the body to convert a damaging chemical called homocysteine into other, benign substances. If not converted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessels, thus greatly increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition, romaine lettuce is a very good source of potassium, which has been shown in numerous studies to be useful in lowering high blood pressure, another risk factor for heart disease. With its folic acid, vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber content, romaine lettuce can significantly contribute to a heart-healthy diet.

Description

The words lettuce and salad are practically interchangeable since most salads are made predominantly with the green crispy leaves of lettuce. Most varieties of lettuce exude small amounts of a white, milky liquid when their leaves are broken. This “milk” gives lettuce its slightly bitter flavor and its scientific name, Lactuca sativa since Lactuca is derived from the Latin word for milk.

Lettuce can be classified into various categories with the most common being:

• Romaine: Also known as Cos, this variety of head forming lettuce has deep green, long leaves with a crisp texture and deep taste.
• Crisphead: With green leaves on the outside and whitish ones on the inside, this variety of head lettuce has a crisp texture and a watery, mild taste. The best known variety of crisphead lettuce is iceberg.
• Butterhead: These types of lettuce feature tender large leaves that form a loosely arranged head that is easily separated from the stem, a sweet flavor and a soft texture. The best known varieties of Butterhead lettuce include Boston and Bibb.
• Leaf: Featuring broad, curly leaf varieties that are green and/or red, the leaf lettuces offer a delicate taste and a mildly crispy texture. Best known varieties of leaf lettuce include green leaf and red leaf.

While vegetables such as arugula, watercress and mizuna are not technically lettuce, these greens are often used interchangeably with lettuces in salads.

History

Native to the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia, lettuce has a long and distinguished history. With depictions appearing in ancient Egyptian tombs, the cultivation of lettuce is thought to date back to at least 4500 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans held lettuce in high regard both as a food and for its therapeutic medicinal properties.

In China, where lettuce has been growing since the 5th century, lettuce represents good luck. It is served on birthdays, New Year’s Day and other special occasions. Christopher Columbus introduced varieties of lettuce to North America during his second voyage in 1493. Lettuce was first planted in California, the lettuce capital of the United States, by the Spanish missionaries in the 17th century. Its popularity across the US did not become widespread until centuries later with the development of refrigeration and railway transportation.

How to Select and Store

Regardless of the type, all lettuces should feature crisp looking, unwilted leaves that are free of dark or slimy spots. In addition, the leaves’ edges should be free of brown or yellow discoloration. Lettuces such as Romaine and Boston should have compact heads and stem ends that are not too brown.

Since different types of lettuce have different qualities, different methods should be used when storing. Romaine and leaf lettuce should be washed and dried before storing in the refrigerator to remove their excess moisture, while Boston lettuce need not be washed before storing. A salad spinner can be very helpful in the drying of lettuce (and other salad ingredients as well). These lettuces should be either stored in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator crisper.

To store arugula, watercress and other types of salad greens that are sold with their roots attached, wrap the roots in a damp paper towel and place the entire greens in a plastic bag.

Romaine lettuce will keep for five to seven days, Boston and leaf lettuce for two to three days, while fragile greens such as arugula and watercress ideally should be prepared the day of purchase. All types of lettuce should be stored away from ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples, bananas and pears, since they will cause the lettuce leaves to brown.

How to Enjoy

For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

Tips for Preparing Lettuce:

To clean lettuce, first remove the outer leaves and with one slice cut off the tips of the lettuce since they tend to be bitter. Chop the remaining lettuce to the desired size and discard the bottom root portion. Rinse and pat dry or use a salad spinner if you have one available to remove the excess water.

Wash greens such as arugula and watercress like you would spinach. Trim their roots and separate the leaves, placing them in a large bowl of tepid water and swishing them around with your hands. This will allow any sand to become dislodged. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl, refill with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt remains in the water (usually two or three times will do the trick). Make sure your leaves are spun or patted dry before adding dressing so as not to dilute flavor.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Give sandwiches extra crunch (and nutrients) by garnishing with lettuce leaves.

When it comes to salads, the only limitation is your imagination. Be creative: use a variety of different lettuce types and add your favorite foods. Whether they’re vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains, whole wheat croutons, soy products, meats or cheeses, most every food goes well with lettuce.

For an interactive meal that is both unusual and fun, arrange nuts, diced vegetables, chicken and/or baked tofu and romaine lettuce leaves on a large plate. Everyone then has the chance to make their own lettuce pockets by placing their favorite fillings in a lettuce leaf and making a breadless sandwich wrap.

What a delicious day yesterday. It was calm all day and that says a lot on an “occasion” day. OK, girls, the cameras were clicking, but Miss Judy doesn’t have any of the pictures to post!!!

The school looked great, the program was wonderful and the kids were marvelous and sang with umph and joy. I think they really enjoyed this group of songs. I know I heard them reciting the names of the states at play, and that means a lot. Next on the agenda, so I’ve heard, is the Sound of Music songs. Love to try that puppet show again!! Maybe this summer. It’s so nice to know that our teachers can create, practice and produce a show from scratch.

Miss Kelly’s book fair was a real hit. We had parents in that room all day. I think we made a nice dent, and it looks like we will get some nice benefits for the kids. I bought this crazy book about a rabbit who sails the sea for Wilbur, and some Captain Underpants for Jack to read himself. I got some books about the ocean for my other grandchildren who live in Jacksonville. Then I discovered the cookbooks as we were putting the books away…

What I liked best about the book fair is how much the children wanted to look. These are their books – books for them, and they wanted to see and touch and smell, because new books really smell good. Curiosity about books is something that is taught, and our children have learned this well.

What’s next? We will be working in class next week to finish out the school year. We have about a month before summer comes, and we will be coasting toward summer during that time. We will be exploring more of the world in geography. I had a discussion with my husband last night about the absence of literary criticism in the world today. Well one thing led to another, and we talked about how many new history books were best sellers every month, and I mentioned how much our kids love geography. He said geography was not history, and I said, that geography was a first step to history because you have to have a world view about places to understand what happened there. So we will be talking more about each area of the world and the countries within each area simply because the children won’t get this again until junior high.

Yesterday while I was cleaning up, I came across our little flags, and I told the kids that they needed to find the country on the map that matched the name on the flag, and they did. That means they are not only able to listen to directions, they are able to read names like Tajikistan. Now remember, according to the powers that move and shake early childhood, these children are not supposed to know their letters yet! Edith and I would refer to this as “slam the window of opportunity on the child” theory of non-education.

Lots of parents ask us about donations of many sorts. We are always willing to take donations of the following: children’s underwear, shorts, jeans, t-shirts and long sleeve t-shirts sizes 3-10.

Craft articles that you no longer use.

Toys and games without batteries.

Books – no old encyclopedias, please.

Science objects like animal skulls, dried pods and interesting plants.

Indoor plants if still living. Pond and vegetable plants.

Candy, and other packaged food if still in the original container.

Art supplies in any condition.

Kitchen supplies like foil, baggies, etc.

And anything else that you see we regularly use.

And parents are always welcome.

We’ve been out of classrooms because of the book fair this week, but we’ve been working on some think games with the big kids. Yesterday we put the children to work. We worked on our garden moving mulch. They had a grand time. And when the job was done, they each got a reward and we had an orange juice party. The best carriers were Nikolai, Adyson and Aidan. We were thrilled with the work done by Brady and Emma. They were outstanding.

Some of Miss Kelly’s girls helped her set up the books. It looks wonderful. It will be hard not to buy a lot of books. There is a beach theme this year.

Then in the afternoon, we listened to a lot of stories and talked about them. Then we played a new game – word it. The children each received a big sheet of paper with letters, and they were to color letter blocks to make words. Most of the kids made about eight words. These are children who should not even know their letters by local “day care” standards.

We played a game of letter and sound recognition on Monday and both Phoebe and Emma age 3 knew many of the letters and the sounds and were eager to participate.

Today we are going to work on handwriting and story making. You can’t do this kind of thing if the kids aren’t “there.” Miss Kelly is a gem who has really taught these children a lot. I am truly grateful to her. These children will move onto first grade in a lot of different schools and be at the top of their classes.

This last month of school is review, games, parties on the spur, and rewards, rewards, rewards. Throw Alfie Kohn over the fence a stick. That’s PA Dutch for the sky is the limit!

This is going to be a busy week at school. The book fair books will be arriving Tuesday for set up and I’m thinking the older children might be able to help. It’s always fun to see what’s new in the book store especially if the book store is in your classroom.

Spring Sing is this week. It’s Friday at 3:00. Miss Amy has been working with the children. The kids seem to really like the songs she’s chosen to sing with them. Even the youngest children seem to take enormous pleasure in rattling off the names of all the states. This has always been my job, and this year it’s a pleasure to give the project to another teacher.

Every so often a really excellent teacher falls into your lap. It’s nearly always by accident and it’s always a surprise. Amy came to us in a pinch, and in the last several weeks, her talent and her love and her enthusiasm has put her into that category of excellent teacher. Her ideas are refreshing. Through Amy’s connections, the Master Gardeners have taken over our summer planting and the kids are delighted with their own gardens.

Amy is one of those people for whom work is a pleasure and the result is a delight. Her possibilities are endless and the children are thrilled with her schemes.

Because of excellent staffing this year, Summer will be endless. We are not taking a week this summer. We are starting mid May and doing summer from Mid May right to Mid August. We spent most of Friday morning talking about the possibilities of field trips. The schedule is astounding.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, teachers will be teaching regular school through games and writing projects, but we will also be teaching crafts and fine arts. We’ve tried to do this summer after summer, but this year, we’ve attached a summer theme to field trips and the projects will be a week long. Some of the projects will be cooking for real, sewing stitches that hold, scrapbooking for keeps, photography from the eye of the artist, jewelry making that lasts, baseball, embroidery for design, painting like the masters, sculpting with clays and paper mache.
Anyway, all of it is hot in the works and when we get our bus schedule, we will be sending home a calendar of when, where, why, how and what and rules.

Our summer plan is to offer children a real summer vacation.

A friend of mine sent this about making decisions about life:

Should I get a dog?

Should I have children?

This is about as bad a mess as trying to retrain a five year old who has been allowed to rule the house. There is just no point to begin. The only good thing about this is that it’s not at your house or my house.

Quinoa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quinoa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Amaranthaceae Subfamily: Chenopodioideae Genus: Chenopodium Species: C. quinoa
Binomial name
Chenopodium quinoa Willd.

Quinoa (IPA pronunciation (RP): [kiːnʍɑː]) is a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium) grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal as it is not a grass. Its leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is currently limited.

[edit] Overview

Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for 6,000 years. Its name is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name. Quinoa is generally undemanding and altitude-hardy, so it can be easily cultivated in the Andes up to about 4,000 meters. Even so, it grows best in well-drained soils and requires a relatively long growing season. In eastern North America, it is susceptible to a leaf miner that may reduce crop success; this leaf miner also affects the common weed Chenopodium album, but C. album is much more resistant.

Similar Chenopodium species, such as Pitseed Goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri) and Fat Hen (Chenopodium album) were grown and domesticated in North America as part of the Eastern Agricultural Complex before maize agriculture became popular. Fat Hen, which has a widespread distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, produces edible seeds and greens much like quinoa, but in lower quantities. Caution should be exercised in collecting this weed, however, because when growing in heavily fertilized agricultural fields it can accumulate dangerously high concentrations of nitrates.

Chenopodiums were also used in Europe as greens.

[edit] History and culture

Top Quinoa Producers – 2005 (thousand metric ton)
Peru	27.0
Bolivia	23.5
Ecuador	0.7
World Total	58.4
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)Actual figures from FAO

The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to quinoa as “chisaya mama” or “mother of all grains”, and it was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using ‘golden implements’. During the European conquest of South America quinoa was scorned by the Spanish colonists as “food for Indians”, and even actively suppressed, due to its status within indigenous non-Christian ceremonies. On another religious note, quinoa is considered by some (but not all) Jews to be kosher for Passover^[1].

[edit] Nutritional value

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, and the United Nations has classified it as a super crop for its very high protein content (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete foodstuff. This means it takes less quinoa protein to meet one’s needs than wheat protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.^[2]

[edit] Saponin content

In its natural state quinoa has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it essentially unpalatable. Most quinoa sold commercially in North America has been processed to remove this coating. Some have speculated that this bitter coating may have caused the Europeans who first encountered quinoa to reject it as a food source, even as they adopted other indigenous products of the Americas like maize and potatoes. However, this bitterness has beneficial effects in terms of cultivation, as it is a crop that is relatively untouched by birds and thus requires minimal protection. There have been attempts made to lower the saponin content of quinoa through selective breeding in order to produce sweeter and more palatable varieties of the crop. However, when these varieties were introduced by agronomists to native growers in the high plateau, they were rejected after just one season. The growers returned to their traditional high saponin varieties, the reason being that despite the newer varieties giving ‘magnificent’ yields, birds had consumed the entire crop.

The saponin content in quinoa can be mildly toxic, as can be the oxalic acid content found in the leaves of all of the chenopodium family. However, the risks associated with quinoa are minimal provided that it is properly prepared and leaves are not eaten to excess.

[edit] Preparation

A spoonful of milled, organic quinoa

Quinoa is an easy food to prepare, has a pleasantly light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an excellent alternative to white rice or couscous.

The first step in preparing quinoa is to remove the saponins, a process that requires soaking the grain in water for a few hours, then changing the water and resoaking again, or rinsing it in ample running water either in a fine strainer or in cheesecloth. Boxed quinoa typically has been pre-rinsed for convenience.

A common cooking method is to treat quinoa much like rice, bringing two cups of water to a boil with one cup of grain, covering at a low simmer and cooking for 14–18 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ looks like a tiny curl and should have a slight bite to it (like al dente pasta). Alternatively, one can use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa.

Vegetables and seasonings can also be added to make a wide range of dishes. It is also well-suited to vegetable pilafs, complementing bitter greens like kale.

Quinoa can serve as a high-protein breakfast food mixed with honey, almonds, or berries; it is also sold as a dry product, much like corn flakes.

As a snack food, Quinoa can be toasted in a dry pan over medium heat until it is browned and mixed with granola, fruit (fresh or dried), coconut, or just eaten by itself.

Quinoa flour can be used in wheat-based and gluten-free baking. For the latter, it can be combined with sorghum flour, tapioca, and potato starch to create a nutritious gluten-free baking mix. A suggested mix is three parts quinoa flour, three parts sorghum flour, two parts potato starch, and one part tapioca starch.

Lastly, quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin and mineral content. In fact, quinoa has a notably short germination period: only 2-4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, eg., 12 hours overnight with wheat. This process, besides its nutritional enhancements, softens the grains, making them very suitable to be added to salads and other cold foods.

[edit] Name

This crop is known as “quinoa” in English and is pronounced with the stress on either the first syllable (/’kiːn.wɑː/) or the second (/kɪ.’nəʊ.ə/). In Spanish, the spelling and pronunciation vary by region. The accent may be on the first syllable and is usually spelled quinua (/’ki.nwa/), with quínoa (/’ki.no.a/) being a variant, or on the second syllable quinoa (/ki.’no.a/). The name ultimately comes from the Quechua kinua or kinoa. There are multiple other native names in South America:

• Quechua: ayara, kiuna, kuchikinwa, achita, kinua, kinoa, chisaya mama
• Aymara: supha, jopa, jupha, juira, ära, qallapi, vocali
• Chibchan: suba, pasca
• Mapudungun: dawe, sawe

St. Anselm 1033 – 1109

Indifferent toward religion as a young man, Anselm became one of the Church’s greatest theologians and leaders. He received the title “Father of Scholasticism” for his attempt to analyze and illumine the truths of faith through the aid of reason.

At 15, Anselm wanted to enter a monastery, but was refused acceptance because of his father’s opposition. Twelve years later, after careless disinterest in religion and years of worldly living, he finally fulfilled his desire to be a monk. He entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy, three years later was elected prior and 15 years later was unanimously chosen abbot.

Considered an original and independent thinker, Anselm was admired for his patience, gentleness and teaching skill. Under his leadership, the abbey of Bec became a monastic school, influential in philosophical and theological studies.

During these years, at the community’s request, Anselm began publishing his theological works, comparable to those of St. Augustine. His best-known work is the book Cur Deus Homo (“Why God Became Man”).

At 60, against his will, Anselm was appointed archbishop of Canterbury in 1093. His appointment was opposed at first by England’s King William Rufus and later accepted. Rufus persistently refused to cooperate with efforts to reform the Church.

Anselm finally went into voluntary exile until Rufus died in 1100. He was then recalled to England by Rufus’s brother and successor, Henry I. Disagreeing fearlessly with Henry over the king’s insistence on investing England’s bishops, Anselm spent another three years in exile in Rome.

His care and concern extended to the very poorest people; he opposed the slave trade. Anselm obtained from the national council at Westminster the passage of a resolution prohibiting the sale of human beings.

Comment: Most children learn to eat onions eventually when they discover that cooked onions are actually sweet. It’s worth the fight.

What would a kitchen be without the distinctively pungent smell and taste of onions filling out the flavors of almost every type of cuisine imaginable? Fortunately, yellow storage onions are available throughout the year but sweet varieties have a much more limited growing season and are available only a few months out of the year.

The word onion comes from the Latin word unio for “single,” or “one,” because the onion plant produces a single bulb, unlike its cousin, the garlic, that produces many small bulbs. The name also describes the union (also from unio) of the many separate, concentrically arranged layers of the onion.

• Health Benefits
• Description
• History
• How to Select and Store
• How to Enjoy
• Safety
• Nutritional Profile
• References

Health Benefits

Onions, like garlic, are members of the Allium family, and both are rich in powerful sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odors and for many of their health-promoting effects. Onions contain allyl propyl disulphide, while garlic is rich in allicin, diallyl disulphide, diallyl trisulfide and others. In addition, onions are very rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, plus vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids, most notably, quercitin.

Blood Sugar-Lowering Effects

The higher the intake of onion, the lower the level of glucose found during oral or intravenous glucose tolerance tests. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that allyl propyl disulfide is responsible for this effect and lowers blood sugar levels by increasing the amount of free insulin available. Allyl propyl disulfide does this by competing with insulin, which is also a disulphide, to occupy the sites in the liver where insulin is inactivated. This results is an increase in the amount of insulin available to usher glucose into cells causing a lowering of blood sugar.

In addition, onions are a very good source of chromium, the mineral component in glucose tolerance factor, a molecule that helps cells respond appropriately to insulin. Clinical studies of diabetics have shown that chromium can decrease fasting blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels, and decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while increasing good HDL-cholesterol levels. Marginal chromium deficiency is common in the United States, not surprising since chromium levels are depleted by the consumption refined sugars and white flour products as well as the lack of exercise. One cup of raw onion contains over 20% of the Daily Value for this important trace mineral.

Cardiovascular Benefits

The regular consumption of onions has, like garlic, been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, both of which help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. These beneficial effects are likely due to onions’ sulfur compounds, its chromium and its vitamin B6, which helps prevent heart disease by lowering high homocysteine levels, another significant risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Onions have been singled out as one of the small number of vegetables and fruits that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included onions, tea, apples and broccoli-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.

Support Gastrointestinal Health

The regular consumption of onions, as little as two or more times per week, is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing colon cancer. Onions contain a number of flavonoids, the most studied of which, quercitin, has been shown to halt the growth of tumors in animals and to protect colon cells from the damaging effects of certain cancer-causing substances. Cooking meats with onions may help reduce the amount of carcinogens produced when meat is cooked using high heat methods.

Quercitin, an antioxidant in onions, and curcumin, a phytonutrient found in the curry spice turmeric, reduce both the size and number of precancerous lesions in the human intestinal tract, suggests research published in Clinical Gasteroenterology and Hepatology.

Five patients with an inherited form of precancerous polyps in the lower bowel known as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) were treated with regular doses of curcumin and quercetin over an average of six months. The average number of polyps dropped 60.4%, and the average size of the polyps that did develop dropped by 50.9%.

FAP runs in families and is characterized by the development of hundreds of polyps (colorectal adenomas) and, eventually, colon cancer. Recently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen) have been used to treat some patients with this condition, but these drugs often produce significant side effects, including gastrointestinal ulcerations and bleeding, according to lead researcher Francis M. Giardiello, M.D., at the Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins University.

Previous observational studies in populations that consume large amounts of curry, as well as animal research, have strongly suggested that curcumin, one of the main ingredients in Asian curries, might be effective in preventing and/or treating cancer in the lower intestine. Similarly, quercetin, an anti-oxidant flavonoid found in a variety of foods including onions, green tea and red wine, has been shown to inhibit growth of colon cancer cell lines in humans and abnormal colorectal cells in animals.

In this study, a decrease in polyp number was observed in four of five patients at three months and four of four patients at six months.

Each patient received curcumin (480 mg) and quercetin (20 mg) orally 3 times a day for 6 months. Although the amount of quercetin was similar to what many people consume daily, the curcumin consumed was more than would be provided in a typical diet because turmeric only contains on average 3-5 % curcumin by weight. While simply consuming curry and onions may not have as dramatic an effect as was produced in this study, this research clearly demonstrates that liberal use of onions and turmeric and onions can play a protective role against the development of colorectal cancer.

Onion and Garlic Protective against Many Cancers

Making onion and garlic a staple in your healthy way of eating may greatly lower your risk of several common cancers, suggests a large data set of case-control studies from Southern European populations (Galeone C, Pelucchi C et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

Study participants consuming the most onions showed an 84% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 88% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 56% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 83% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 25% reduced risk for breast cancer, 73% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 71% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 38% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least onions.

Similarly, those eating the most garlic had a 39% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 57% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 26% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 44% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 10% reduced risk for breast cancer, 22% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 19% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 31% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least garlic.

Boost Bone Health

Milk isn’t the only food that boosts bone health. Onions also help maintain healthy bones, suggests a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

A compound newly identified in onions with the long complex name of gamma-L-glutamyl-trans-S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide, GPCS, for short, inhibits the activity of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bone). The more GPCS given in this animal study, the more the bone resorptive (breakdown) action of osteoclasts was inhibited.

Onions may be especially beneficial for women, who are at increased risk for osteoporosis as they go through menopause. Fosamax (Alendronate), the drug typically prescribed to prevent excessive bone loss, works in a similar manner, by destroying osteoclasts, so they do not break down bone. Potential negative side effects of Fosamax include irritation of the upper gastrointestinal mucosa, acid regurgitation, esophageal ulcers and erosions. Potential negative side effects of eating onions: onion breath.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Bacterial Activity

Several anti-inflammatory agents in onions render them helpful in reducing the severity of symptoms associated with inflammatory conditions such as the pain and swelling of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, the allergic inflammatory response of asthma, and the respiratory congestion associated with the common cold. Both onions and garlic contain compounds that inhibit lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase (the enzymes that generate inflammatory prostaglandins and thromboxanes), thus markedly reducing inflammation. Onions’ anti-inflammatory effects are due not only to their vitamin C and quercitin, but to other active components called isothiocyanates. These compounds work synergistically to spell relief from inflammation. In addition, quercitin and other flavonoids found in onions work with vitamin C to help kill harmful bacteria, making onions an especially good addition to soups and stews during cold and flu season.

Description

Onions may bring a tear to your eye, and a pungency to your breath, but they will most certainly bring delight to your tastebuds. The onion, known scientifically as Allium cepa, is, on the surface, a humble brown, white or red, paper-thin skinned bulb; yet, despite its plain looks, has an intense flavor and is a beloved part of the cuisine of almost every region of the world. The word onion comes from the Latin word unio for “single,” or “one,” because the onion plant produces a single bulb, unlike its cousin, the garlic, that produces many small bulbs. The name also describes the onion bulb when cut down the middle; it is a union (also from unio) of many separate, concentrically arranged layers.

Onions range in size, color and taste depending upon their variety. There are generally two types of large, globe-shaped onions, classified as spring/summer or storage onions. The former class includes those that are grown in warm weather climates and have characteristic mild or sweet tastes. Included in this group are the Maui Sweet Onion (in season April through June), Vidalia (in season May through June) and Walla Walla (in season July and August). Storage onions are grown in colder weather climates and, after harvesting, are dried out for a period of several months, attaining dry, crisp skins. They generally have a more pungent flavor and are usually named by their color: white, yellow or red. Spanish onions fall into this classification. In addition to these large onions, there are also smaller varieties such as the green onion, or scallion, and the pearl onion.

History

Onions are native to Asia and the Middle East and have been cultivated for over five thousand years. Onions were highly regarded by the Egyptians. Not only did they use them as currency to pay the workers who built the pyramids, but they also placed them in the tombs of kings, such as Tutankhamen, so that they could carry these gifts bestowed with spiritual significance with them to the afterlife.

Onions have been revered throughout time not only for their culinary use, but also for their therapeutic properties. As early as the 6th century, onions were used as a medicine in India. While they were popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans, they were oftentimes dressed with extra seasonings since many people did not find them spicy enough. Yet, it was their pungency that made onions popular among poor people throughout the world who could freely use this inexpensive vegetable to spark up their meals. Onions were an indispensable vegetable in the cuisines of many European countries during the Middle Ages and later even served as a classic healthy breakfast food. Christopher Columbus brought onions to the West Indies; their cultivation spread from there throughout the Western Hemisphere. Today China, India, the United States, Russian, and Spain are among the leading producers of onions.

Just because it’s fun, here are some things kids love to know. If parents know them too, that’s a fun exchange. See if some of these things make your kids laugh. And try them on the man-woman in your life; see if they say huh?

Weird Things You Would Never Know!! (But do now!)

Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

No word in the English language rhymes with “MONTH.”

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

Almost everyone who reads this email will try to lick their elbow. (Sorry I didn’t go there!)

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a tattler. My computer has been strange, and the hook up really slow.

I hope you guys have noticed the garden plots outdoors near the parking lot. Each child will partner with another to create a little garden for both the spring and the summer. The Master Gardeners of Evansville have discovered us, thanks to Miss Amy, and they are going to watch our garden grow. More as we do it. If you have donations of dirt, garden forks, they would be appreciated. If you could donate some empty clear 2 liter soda containers, it would be most appreciated.

Have you been helping your children with the list of states? It’s kind of fun to do. Yesterday we had a little contest, and the kids did really well, but they all need work from Utah on. Miss Amy is quite a musician. It’s tough to keep ’em singing at the end of the school year.

Miss Katy Moorman has been volunteering with us as a science teacher. We are really glad to get her. She’s an aces teacher and so enthusiastic! Her grandson, Gage, was one of our students. Now Gage goes to school with Jack.

Last Friday we played a game of hunt and find, and we were very very surprised the children did so well. Congrats to Hadley who got 40/40.

We’ve been trying out new foods again. We had finger peas on Monday along with steak. Kids should eat steak, and they did and they liked it. We are using brown rice, and the kids seem to like that too. Yesterday we had summer sausage and egg pie or quiche. They liked that too.

Today we will eat ham, cheese potatoes and asparagus along with homemade bread, pineapple and oranges.

And the beat goes on…