An apple a day keeps the doctor away…
We have all heard that saying and in fact studies prove this just might be true!

In order to curb my mid-afternoon sweet-attacks I have taken to eating an apple. My favorites are: Granny Smith and Gala’s. The worst….Red Delicious (sorry but I hate their thick skin!).

Hubs of course eats his apples in pies!

Below is an article I found on WebMD regarding eating apples!

In addition to eating apples you can also waft in apple spice scented body products! In our Fall Harvest collection we offer Apple Spice in soap, lotion and sugar scrub!

An Apple A Day May Really Keep The Doctor Away
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

June 21, 2000 — It turns out that eating an apple a day really does keep the doctor away — but you’ve got to eat the peel. And no fair skipping the apple altogether in favor of megadoses of vitamins in pill form. Fruits and vegetables in their natural state are better, Cornell University researchers say.

A study published June 22 in the journal Nature offers more evidence that the health benefits of fruits and vegetables are not easily packaged as supplements sold in pharmacies and health food stores. Researchers from Cornell’s Food Science and Toxicology Department in Ithaca, N.Y., found that the antioxidant properties of one fresh apple were equal to 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.

“The pharmaceutical companies will not be happy with me, but I think the consumer gets more health benefits from eating whole fruits and vegetables,” lead researcher Rui Hai Liu, MD, PhD, tells WebMD. “You get much more antioxidant activity, you get a variety of antioxidants, and you don’t have to worry about toxicity.”

The Cornell researchers suggest that a combination of plant chemicals, collectively known as phytochemicals, found mainly in the skin of apples, provide the bulk of the fruit’s anticancer and antioxidant properties. The cooperative activity of these phytochemicals, they argue, has health benefits that are superior to those found in single compounds like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, which have been widely studied for their antioxidant activities.

Using colon cancer cells treated with apple extract, Liu and colleagues found that 50 milligrams of apple extracted from the skins decreased the cancer cell growth by 43%, while the same amount of extract from the flesh of the apple decreased cancer cell growth by 29%. Likewise, 50 milligrams of extract from apples with the skin on decreased liver cancer cell growth by 57%, compared to 40% for samples extracted from apples without the skin.

“There is a huge amount of scientific evidence showing that fruits and vegetables lower the risk of cancer and heart disease, but scientists have mostly been isolating single compounds like beta-carotene and vitamin C,” Liu says. “Over the years, no single compound has been proven to have a protective effect by itself. An apple could have hundreds of phytochemicals. We think the combination is the important thing.”

More than 900 different plant chemicals have been identified as components of different fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables. Apples are rich in isoflavones and phenolics, but other widely studied phytochemicals include lycopene, found in tomatoes; carotenoids, found in carrots and citrus fruits; and allyl sulfides, found in garlic and onions. It is believed that various phytochemicals help prevent cell damage, prevent cancer cell replication, and decrease cholesterol levels.

Charles Halsted, MD, says evidence is mounting that suggests taking vitamin supplements, even in large doses, does not provide the health benefits of a healthy diet. Halsted edits the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) and is a professor of internal medicine at the University of California, Davis. He was not involved with the study, but reviewed it for WebMD.

“I think the argument that natural sources of antioxidants are better is a pretty sound one,” he says, adding that AJCN will soon publish studies showing a diet high in fruits and vegetables to be protective against heart attacks and colon cancer.

“If you look at single compound studies, you see mixed results,” Halsted says. “For example, the early studies of beta-carotene suggested that it protected against lung cancer, but later studies found that it increased lung cancer risk. Single supplements may not be able to provide the benefits of a healthy diet.”

The Cornell study was funded, in part, by the New York Apple Research Development Program and the New York Apple Association, and Liu is an eager spokesman for their favorite fruit.

“You should eat an apple every day,” he says. “Everybody in my family gets an apple a day. We go through several thousand apples a year.”

Vital Information:
**Many of the antioxidants in an apple are in the skin, which might have cancer-fighting properties.

**Researchers think it’s better to get antioxidants from fruits and vegetables than from dietary supplements. These naturally occurring plant chemicals, or phytochemicals, may work together to fight cancer and other disease.

**As scientists study antioxidants, many say they are beginning to believe it’s the combination of different phytochemicals working together that bring good health.

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

I fell in LOVE with Monoi de Tahiti Tiare the very first time I purchased it!

The Monoi de Tahiti Tiare that we purchase and use in our product comes with the APPELLATION D’ ORIGINE (Guarantee of origin) so you know it’s the genuine product.

We use it in our Simply Soft Pearls of Sand Collection (excluding the soap) and for me..it is to die for! The natural scent comes through really well in the whipped body cream and the sugar scrub…however…it does not survive the saponification process in the soap so we had to find a fragrance oil that was similar in scent. You can even use Monoi straight up on your hair just like the French Polynesian women do.

What Is Monoi?
MONOI (pronounced Mah-noy) is an ancient Tahitian word meaning “scented oil” in the reo-maohi language. This natural skin care product is made from Tiare Gardenia blossoms and coconut extract from the Cocos Nuncifera variety. The combination of these locally grown flora act as a natural barrier against dehydration that can cause wrinkles and protects the skin against sun and wind damage. Extensive tests and analysis over the last few years are validating the long standing traditional claims of MONOI DE TAHITI®. It’s skin hydrating qualities are shown to be superior to those of other natural vegetal oils. Only the result, of tiare soaking in coconut oil, can be called MONOI.

MONOI DE TAHITI® is a naturally concentrated emollient which penetrates easily into the skin. Helping to re-hydrate the layers of the epidermus and to shield the skin against external damages. Lab tests demonstrate, after the very first use, MONOI DE TAHITI® helps the skin to look better and healthier. MONOI, a Polynesian ancient traditional product brings it’s unique and exotic properties to modern cosmetology.

What Is Tiare?
Tahiti’s national flower native to the Pacific Regions blossoms all year long. It’s exotic yet delicate fragrance fills the air all throughout French Polynesia. The small 3-foot tall bushes grow best on soils of coral origin. The Tiare flowers are deeply rooted in the cultural life of the Polynesians. The tourists receive a lei created with them on their arrival, and the Vahines use them to enhance their beauty everyday. Polynesian’s also use them as a natural air freshener by simply placing the closed blossoms in a dish of water and then making lei’s out of them as the buds open. Of all the Tahitian flowers the one used most for traditional medicine is the Tiare. Yet the moisturizing and firm forming virtues that come from using Tiare flowers in the making of MONOI are it’s most remarkable and famous application.

What Is APPELLATION D’ ORIGINE (Guarantee of origin)?
Authentic MONOI DE TAHITI® is easily recognized by it’s Appellation D’ Origine logo. This ensures both high manufacturing standards and protects the consumer against widespread counterfeits and imitations. Indigenous to Tahiti and found nowhere else in the world – the Gardenia Taitensis blossom, one of the unique components of authentic MONOI DE TAHITI® is renowned for it’s exotic potent fragrance and it’s special moisturizing properties.

Pearls of Sand Collection

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Pineapple – Wikipedia

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible tropical plant and also its fruit. It is native to the southern part of Brazil, and Paraguay. Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned and is available as a juice or in juice combinations. It is used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and in fruit cocktail. While sweet, it is known for its high acid content (perhaps malic and/or citric). Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruit in widespread cultivation.

The word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398, when it was originally used to describe the reproductive organs of conifer trees (now termed pine cones). When European explorers discovered this tropical fruit, they called them pineapples (term first recorded in that sense in 1664) because of their resemblance to what is now known as the pine cone. The term pine cone was first recorded in 1694 and was used to replace the original meaning of pineapple.

Nutrition
Pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein. Pineapple juice can thus be used as a marinade and tenderizer for meat. The enzymes in raw pineapples can interfere with the preparation of some foods, such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts. The bromelain breaks down in cooking or the canning process, thus canned pineapple can generally be used with gelatin. These enzymes can be hazardous to someone suffering from certain protein deficiencies or disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Raw pineapples also should not be consumed by those with hemophilia or by those with kidney or liver disease, as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate a consumer’s blood.

Consumers of pineapple have claimed that pineapple has benefits for some intestinal disorders; others claim that it helps to induce childbirth when a baby is overdue.

Pineapple is a good source of manganese (91 %DV in a 1 cup serving), as well as containing significant amounts of Vitamin C (94 %DV in a 1 cup serving) and Vitamin B1 (8 %DV in a 1 cup serving).

History
The natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout South America, and it eventually reached the Caribbean. Columbus discovered it in the Indies and brought it back with him to Europe. The Spanish introduced it into the Philippines, Hawaii (introduced in the early 19th century, first commercial plantation 1886), Zimbabwe and Guam. The fruit was cultivated successfully in European hothouses, and pineapple pits, beginning in 1720. Commonly grown cultivars include ‘Red Spanish’, ‘Hilo’, ‘Smooth Cayenne’, ‘St. Michael’, ‘Kona Sugarloaf’, ‘Natal Queen’, and ‘Pernambuco’.

The pineapple was introduced to Hawaii in 1813; exports of canned pineapples began in 1892. Large scale pineapple cultivation by U.S. companies began in the early 1900s on Hawaii. Among the most famous and influential pineapple industrialists was James Dole, who started a pineapple plantation in Hawaii in the year 1900. The companies Dole and Del Monte began growing pineapple on the island of Oahu in 1901 and 1917, respectively. Maui Pineapple Company began pineapple cultivation on the island of Maui in 1909. In 2006, Del Monte announced its withdrawal from pineapple cultivation in Hawaii, leaving only Dole and Maui Pineapple Company in Hawaii as the USA’s largest growers of pineapples. Maui Pineapple Company markets its Maui Gold brand of pineapple and Dole markets its Hawaii Gold brand of pineapple.

In the USA in 1986, the Pineapple Research Institute was dissolved and its assets were divided between Del Monte and Maui Land and Pineapple. Del Monte took 73-114, which it dubbed MD-2, to its plantations in Costa Rica, found it to be well-suited to growing there, and launched it publicly in 1996. (Del Monte also began marketing 73-50, dubbed CO-2, as Del Monte Gold). In 1997, Del Monte began marketing its Gold Extra Sweet pineapple, known internally as MD-2. MD-2 is a hybrid that originated in the breeding program of the now-defunct Pineapple Research Institute in Hawaii, which conducted research on behalf of Del Monte, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, and Dole.

**For more pineapple information please see Pineapple/Wikipedia**

~Because pineapple contains the fruit enzyme bromelain (which is effective exfoliating dead skin cells and also hydrolizes protein) the dried fruit powder makes a great addition to skin care products (hint hint-future products!).~

~Our Simply Soft Pineapple Express collection is softly scented with a delectable pineapple fragrance!~

Pineapple Express Collection

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

We have unoffically declared August tropical month and will be focusing on tropical fruit, recipes and scents!

Ingredient Of The Week: Mango
(as from Wikipedia-Mango)

Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is indigenous to the Indian Subcontinent. Cultivated in many tropical regions and distributed widely in the world, mango is one of the most extensively exploited fruits for food, juice, flavor, fragrance and color, making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often called superfruits. Its leaves are ritually used as floral decorations at weddings and religious ceremonies.

The ripe fruit is variable in size and color, and may be yellow, orange, red or green when ripe, depending on the cultivar. When ripe, the unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive resinous sweet smell. In its center is a single flat oblong seed that can be fibrous or hairy on the surface, depending on the cultivar.

Food
A ripe mango is sweet, with a unique taste that nevertheless varies from variety to variety. The texture of the flesh varies between cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while others have firmer flesh like a cantaloupe or avocado. In some cultivars, the flesh has a fibrous texture.

Cuisine
In the Philippines, unripe mango is eaten with bagoong. Dried strips of sweet, ripe mango are also popular, with those from Cebu exported worldwide. Guimaras produces a delicious mango.

In Mexico, mango is used to make juices, smoothies, ice cream, fruit bars, raspados, aguas frescas, pies and sweet chili sauce, or mixed with chamoy, a sweet and spicy chili paste. It is popular on a stick dipped in hot chili powder and salt or also as a main ingredient in fresh fruit combinations.

Pieces of mango can be mashed and used as a topping on ice cream or blended with milk and ice as milkshakes. In Thailand and other South East Asian countries, sweet glutinous rice is flavored with coconut then served with sliced mango as a dessert.

In other parts of South-east Asia, mangoes are pickled with fish sauce and rice vinegar. Green mangoes can be used in mango salad with fish sauce and dried schrimps.

In Taiwan, mango is a topping that can be added to shaved ice along with condensed milk.

The sweet bell pepper (capsicum) was once known as mango in parts of the United States.

In Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica), mango is either eaten green with salt, pepper and hot sauce, or ripe in various forms. Only in Costa Rica, ripe mangoes are called manga to differentiate them. In Guatemala, toasted and ground pumpkin seed (called Pepita) with lime and salt are the norm when eating green mangoes.

Nutrient and Antioxidant Properties
Mango is rich in a variety of phytochemicals and nutrients that qualify it as a model “superfruit”, a term used to highlight potential health value of certain edible fruits. The fruit is high in prebiotic dietary fiber, vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids.

Mango contains essential vitamins and dietary minerals. The antioxidant vitamins A, C and E comprise 25%, 76% and 9% of the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) in a 165 g serving. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, 11% DRI), vitamin K (9% DRI), other B vitamins and essential nutrients such as potassium, copper and 17 amino acids are at good levels. Mango peel and pulp contain other phytonutrients, such as the pigment antioxidants – carotenoids and polyphenols – and omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Mango peel contains pigments that may have antioxidant properties, including carotenoids, such as the provitamin A compound, beta-carotene, lutein and alpha-carotene, polyphenols such as quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid, caffeic acid, catechins, tannins, and the unique mango xanthone, mangiferin, any of which may counteract free radicals in various disease mechanisms as revealed in preliminary research. Contents of these phytochemicals and nutrients appear to vary across different mango species. Up to 25 different carotenoids have been isolated from mango pulp, the densest content for which was beta-carotene accounting for the yellow-orange pigmentation of most mango species. Peel and leaves also have significant content of polyphenols, including xanthones, mangiferin and gallic acid.

The mango triterpene, lupeol is an effective inhibitor in laboratory models of prostate and skin cancers. An extract of mango branch bark called Vimang, isolated by Cuban scientists, contains numerous polyphenols with antioxidant properties in vitro and on blood parameters of elderly humans.

The pigment euxanthin, known as Indian yellow, is often thought to be produced from the urine of cows fed mango leaves; the practice is described as having been outlawed in 1908 due to malnutrition of the cows and possible urushiol poisoning. One author claims these descriptions of the pigment’s origin rely on a single anecdotal source and Indian legal records do not mention such a practice being outlawed.

For a whole lot more information on Mangoes please visit the above linked Wikipedia site!

We use mango fragrance as part of our Tropical Twist product line that includes soap, sugar scrub and whipped body cream!

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis…which has me a little concerned since I am not even 50 yet. I have it in my knees, hips, hands and neck and am currently on an anti-inflammatories. While this works 1/2 the time I have been searching for something natural to help as well.

I came across references of taking Devil’s Claw for arthritis relief. But now that I have read more I am having doubts whether this is safe.

In reading the information on Medline Plus it looks like Devil’s Claw may cause gastrointestinal upset and since I have IBS I’m not sure I need to make the problem worse not to mention the fact that Devil’s Claw is used to stimulate the appetite…something I can honestly tell you I DON’T need!

It also looks like it is a short-term solution and should not be taken more than 3 months. That won’t work for me as I can feel my arthritis getting worse over the years.

So as it stands now I won’t be buying any Devil’s Claw supplement until I can talk to an herbalist and my doctor about any safety issues with my current medicine.

Per Medline Plus website:
Devil’s Claw

Devil’s claw ( Harpagophytum procumbens ) originates from the Kalahari and Savannah desert regions of South and Southeast Africa. In these parts of the world, devil’s claw has historically been used to treat a wide range of conditions including fever, malaria, and indigestion. The medicinal ingredient of the devil’s claw plant is extracted from the dried out roots.

Currently, the major uses of devil’s claw are as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever for joint diseases, back pain, and headache. There is currently widespread use of standardized devil’s claw for mild joint pain in Europe.

Potential side effects include gastrointestinal upset, low blood pressure, or abnormal heart rhythms (increased heart rate or increased heart squeezing effects).

Traditionally, it has been recommended to avoid using devil’s claw in patients with stomach ulcers or in people using blood thinners (anticoagulants such as warfarin/Coumadin®).

Degenerative joint disease/osteoarthritis

There is increasing scientific evidence suggesting that devil’s claw is safe and beneficial for the short-term treatment of pain related to degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis (8-12 weeks), it may be equally effective as drug therapies such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), and it may allow for dose reductions or stopping of these drugs in some patients. However, most studies have been small with flaws in their designs. Additional well-designed trials are necessary before a firm conclusion can be reached.

Low back pain

There are several human studies that support the use of devil’s claw for the treatment of low back pain. However, most studies have been small with flaws in their designs, and many have been done by the same authors. Therefore, although these results can be considered promising early evidence, additional well-designed trials are necessary before a firm conclusion can be reached. It is not clear how devil’s claw compares to other therapies for back pain.

Appetite stimulant

Traditionally, devil’s claw was commonly used as an appetite stimulant, and this remains a popular use. However, there is no reliable scientific evidence in this area, and it remains unclear if devil’s claw is beneficial as an appetite stimulant.

Cancer (bone metastases)

Devil’s claw is used to treat several types of pain, including osteoarthritis and low back pain. One case report indicates it may also be helpful for pain due to bone metastases. More research is needed in this area before a conclusion can be drawn.

Digestive tonic

Devil’s claw is popular as a digestive tonic for the relief of constipation, diarrhea, and flatulence. However, there is no reliable scientific evidence in this area, and it remains unclear if devil’s claw is beneficial for these uses.

Uses based on tradition or theory

The below uses are based on tradition or scientific theories. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.

Allergies, antiarrhythmic, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, arteriosclerosis (clogged arteries), arthritis, bitter tonic, blood diseases, boils (topical), choleretic, constipation, coronary artery disease, diabetes, diuretic, dysmenorrhea, edema, fever, fibromyalgia, flatulence, gall bladder tonic, gastrointestinal disorders, gout, headache, heartburn, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, hip pain, kidney disorders, knee pain, labor aid, liver tonic, malaria, menopausal hot flashes, menstrual pain, migraine, myalgia, nerve pain, nicotine poisoning, pain reliever, rheumatoid arthritis, sedative, skin cancer (topical), skin ulcers (topical), sores (topical), spasmolytic, tendonitis, urinary tract infection, vulnerary for skin injuries (topical), wound healing.

Side Effects and Warnings

At recommended doses, devil’s claw is traditionally believed to be well tolerated. Whether use of devil’s claw for longer than 3-4 months is safe or effective is unknown.

There are reports of headache, ringing in the ears, loss of taste and appetite, gastrointestinal upset, and diarrhea in those taking this herb. Devil’s claw may affect levels of acid in the gastrointestinal tract and should be avoided by people with gastric (stomach) or duodenal (intestinal) ulcers. Devil’s claw should be used cautiously in patients with gallstones.

Devil’s claw may change the rate and force of heartbeats (chronotropic and inotropic effects). Individuals with heart disease or arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) should consult their cardiologist or primary care physician before taking devil’s claw.

In theory, devil’s claw may lower blood sugar levels. Caution is advised in patients with diabetes or hypoglycemia, and in those taking drugs, herbs, or supplements that affect blood sugar. Serum glucose levels may need to be monitored by a healthcare provider, and medication adjustments may be necessary.

In theory, devil’s claw may increase the risk of bleeding. Caution is advised in patients with bleeding disorders or taking drugs that may increase the risk of bleeding. Dosing adjustments may be necessary. Patients may need to stop taking devil’s claw before some surgeries, and should discuss this with their primary healthcare provider.

Devil’s claw products may be contaminated with other herbs, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, or drugs.

For more information please visit Medline Plus/Devil’s Claw.

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

I am not a big fan of edible peppermint.
About the only foods I like with peppermint are ice cream, cookies and the VERY occasional Peppermint Patty!

I do, however, like peppermint in candles and body products…especially when it’s blended with vanilla!

We have both peppermint and spearmint growing in our garden but it’s mostly used for aroma-enjoyment (crushing the leaves in your hand for smelling!) rather than eating.

Our Ingredient of the Week: Peppermint
(as borrowed from Peppermint-Wikipedia)

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita, also known as M. balsamea Willd) is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world.

Peppermint typically occurs in moist habitats, including stream sides and drainage ditches. Being a hybrid, it is usually sterile, producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively, spreading by its rhizomes. If placed, it can grow anywhere, with a few exceptions. It is an invasive species in the Great Lakes region, noted since 1843

Uses
Peppermint is sometimes regarded as ‘the world’s oldest medicine’, with archaeological evidence placing its use at least as far back as ten thousand years ago.

Peppermint has a high menthol content, and is often used as a flavouring in tea, ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, and toothpaste. The oil also contains menthone and menthyl esters, particularly menthyl acetate. It is the oldest and most popular flavour of mint-flavoured confectionery. Peppermint can also be found in some shampoos and soaps, which give the hair a minty scent and produce a cooling sensation on the skin.

In 2007, Italian investigators reported that 75% of the patients in their study who took peppermint oil capsules for four weeks had a major reduction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, compared with just 38% of those who took a placebo.

Similarly, some poorly designed earlier trials found that peppermint oil has the ability to reduce colicky abdominal pain due to IBS with an NNT (number needed to treat) around 3.1, but the oil is an irritant to the stomach in the quantity required and therefore needs wrapping for delayed release in the intestine. Peppermint relaxes the gastro-esophageal sphincter, thus promoting belching. Restaurants usually take advantage of this effect by taking advantage of its use as a confectionery ingredient, which they then call “after-dinner mints.”

Peppermint flowers are large nectar producers and honey bees as well as other nectar harvesting organisms forage them heavily. A mild, pleasant varietal honey can be produced if there is a sufficient area of plants.

Peppermint oil is used by commercial pesticide applicators, in the EcoSmart Technologies line of products, as a natural insecticide.

Outside of its native range, areas where peppermint was formerly grown for oil often have an abundance of feral plants, and it is considered invasive in Australia, the Galápagos Islands, New Zealand, and in the United States

Cultivation
Peppermint generally thrives in shade and expands quickly by underground stolons. If you choose to grow peppermint, it is advisable to plant it in a container, otherwise it can rapidly take over a whole garden. It needs a good water supply, and is ideal for planting in part-sun to shade areas.

The leaves and flowering tops are the usable portion of the plant. They are collected as soon as the flowers begin to open and then are carefully dried. The wild form of the plant is less suitable for this purpose, with cultivated plants having been selected for more and better oil content. Seeds sold at stores labelled peppermint generally will not germinate into true peppermint, but into a particularly poor-scented spearmint plant. The true peppermint might rarely produce seeds, but only by fertilization from a spearmint plant, and contribute only their own spearmint genes.

Peppermint is a component in our Grapefruit Mint collection.

Make sure you check back tomorrow…as we will be featuring a cooling, mouthwatering minty freshness recipe!

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

I am not a huge fan of lettuce and much prefer the leafy type over Iceberg lettuce.

Since our featured product this week is our Wild Lettuce collection we thought it fitting to highlight lettuce as our ingredient of the week.

Make sure you come back tomorrow as we will feature a scrumptious sounding lettuce wrap recipe!

Below are snippets borrowed from Lettuce-Wikipedia:

Ingredient Of The Week: Lettuce

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. In many countries, it is typically eaten cold, raw, in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and in many other dishes. In some places, including China, lettuce is typically eaten cooked and use of the stem is as important as use of the leaf. Both the English name and the Latin name of the genus are ultimately derived from lac, the Latin word for “milk”, referring to the plant’s milky juice. Mild in flavour, it has been described over the centuries as a cooling counterbalance to other ingredients in a salad.

The lettuce plant has a short stem initially (a rosette growth habit), but when it blooms, the stem lengthens, branches, and produces many flower heads that look like those of dandelions, but smaller. This is referred to as bolting. When grown to eat, lettuce is harvested before it bolts.

Cultivation
Lettuce is grown commercially worldwide, hardy to Zone 6, requiring light, sandy, humus rich, moist soil. It dislikes dry conditions, which can cause the plants to go to seed (known as bolting). It is normally grown by early and late sowing in sunny positions, or summer crops in shade. It is considered fairly easy to grow and a suitable crop for beginners.

Planting Depth: Some resources suggest planting seeds by covering lightly with soil while others suggest a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Planting Spacing: Thin seedlings to 10 cm (4 in) apart for leaf lettuce [1 sq. m (9/sq ft)] and 6 to 8 inches (200 mm) apart for Cos or Butterhead (4/sq ft – 1/sq ft), transplant Crisphead seedlings 10 to 12 inches (300 mm) apart in the row (1/sq ft).
Row Spacing: 12 – 18 inches apart

History
The earliest depiction of lettuce is in the carvings at the temple of Senusret I at Karnak, where he offers milk to the god Min, to whom the lettuces was sacred. Lettuce was considered an aphrodisiac food in Ancient Egypt, and appears as such in The Contendings of Horus and Seth. Later, Ancient Greek physicians believed lettuce could act as a sleep-inducing agent. The Romans cultivated it, and it eventually made its way to France cultivated of the Papal Court at Avignon. Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to the New World

Cultivars
There are six commonly recognised Cultivar Groups of lettuce which are ordered here by head formation and leaf structure; there are hundreds of cultivars of lettuce selected for leaf shape and colour, as well as extended field and shelf life, within each of these Cultivar Groups:

Butterhead forms loose heads. Its leaves have a buttery texture. Butterhead cultivars are most popular in Europe. Popular varieties include Boston, Bibb, Buttercrunch, and Tom Thumb.

Chinese lettuce types generally have long, sword-shaped, non-head-forming leaves, with a bitter and robust flavour unlike Western types, for use in stir-fried dishes and stews.

Crisphead, also called Iceberg, forms tight, dense heads that resemble cabbage. They are generally the mildest of the lettuces, valued more for their crunchy texture than for flavour. Cultivars of iceberg lettuce are the most familiar lettuces in the USA. The name Iceberg refers to the crisp, cold, clean characteristics of the leaves.

Looseleaf has tender, delicate, and mildly flavoured leaves. This group includes oak leaf and lollo rosso lettuces.

Romaine, also called Cos, grows in a long head of sturdy leaves with a firm rib down the center. Unlike most lettuces, it is tolerant of heat.

Summer Crisp, also called Batavian, forms moderately dense heads with a crunchy texture. This type is intermediate between iceberg and looseleaf types.

Some lettuces (especially iceberg) have been specifically bred to remove the bitterness from their leaves. These lettuces have a high water content with very little nutrient value. The more bitter lettuces and the ones with pigmented leaves contain antioxidants

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Nothing says summer like fresh tomatoes on the vine!
We typically plant 6-8 tomato plants during the summer which is more than enough for hubs and I. Our favorites are the smaller varieties of cherry tomatoes. Freshly picked tomatoes are full of flavor and puts the store purchased ones to shame.

Below are snippets taken from Tomato-Wikipedia.
For more tomato information than you can handle please visit the website directly!

Ingredient Of The Week: Tomato

Fruit or Vegetable?
Botanically, a tomato is the ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant: therefore it is a fruit. However, the tomato is not as sweet as those foodstuffs usually called fruits and, from a culinary standpoint, it is typically served as part of a salad or main course of a meal, as are vegetables, rather than at dessert in the case of most fruits. As noted above, the term vegetable has no botanical meaning and is purely a culinary term. Originally the controversy was that tomatoes are treated as a fruit in home canning practices. Tomatoes are acidic enough to be processed in a water bath rather than a pressure cooker as “vegetables” require.

This argument has had legal implications in the United States. In 1887, U.S. tariff laws that imposed a duty on vegetables but not on fruits caused the tomato’s status to become a matter of legal importance. The U.S. Supreme Court settled the controversy on May 10, 1893 by declaring that the tomato is a vegetable, based on the popular definition that classifies vegetables by use, that they are generally served with dinner and not dessert (Nix v. Hedden (149 U.S. 304). The holding of the case applies only to the interpretation of the Tariff Act of March 3, 1883, and the court did not purport to reclassify the tomato for botanical or other purpose. Tomatoes have been designated the state vegetable of New Jersey. Arkansas took both sides by declaring the “South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato” to be both the state fruit and the state vegetable in the same law, citing both its culinary and botanical classifications. In 2006, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a law that would have declared the tomato to be the official state fruit, but the bill died when the Ohio Senate failed to act on it. However, in April 2009 a new form of the bill passed, making the tomato the official fruit of the state of Ohio. Tomato juice has been the official beverage of Ohio since 1965. A.W. Livingston, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, played a large part in popularizing the tomato in the late 1800s.

Due to the scientific definition of a fruit, the tomato remains a fruit when not dealing with US tariffs. Nor is it the only culinary vegetable that is a botanical fruit: eggplants, cucumbers, and squashes of all kinds (such as zucchini and pumpkins) share the same ambiguity.

Early History
Aztecs and other peoples in the region used the fruit in their cooking; it was being cultivated in southern Mexico and probably other areas by 500BC. It is thought that the Pueblo people believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination. The large, lumpy tomato, a mutation from a smoother, smaller fruit, originated and was encouraged in Mesoamerica. Smith states this variant is the direct ancestor of some modern cultivated tomatoes.

According to Andrew F Smith’s The Tomato in America, the tomato probably originated in the highlands of the west coast of South America. However, Smith notes there is no evidence the tomato was cultivated or even eaten in Peru before the Spanish arrived.

North America
The earliest reference to tomatoes being grown in British North America is from 1710, when herbalist William Salmon reported seeing them in what is today South Carolina. They may have been introduced from the Caribbean. By the mid-18th century, they were cultivated on some Carolina plantations, and probably in other parts of the Southeast as well. It is possible that some people continued to think tomatoes were poisonous at this time; and in general, they were grown more as ornamental plants than as food. Thomas Jefferson, who ate tomatoes in Paris, sent some seeds back to America.

Because of their longer growing season for this heat-loving crop, several states in the US Sun Belt became major tomato-producers, particularly Florida and California. In California tomatoes are grown under irrigation for both the fresh fruit market and for canning and processing

Cultivations & Uses
The tomato is now grown worldwide for its edible fruits, with thousands of cultivars having been selected with varying fruit types, and for optimum growth in differing growing conditions. Cultivated tomatoes vary in size from tomberries, about 5mm in diameter, through cherry tomatoes, about the same 1–2 centimetres (0.4–0.8 in) size as the wild tomato, up to “beefsteak” tomatoes 10 centimetres (4 in) or more in diameter. The most widely grown commercial tomatoes tend to be in the 5–6 centimetres (2.0–2.4 in) diameter range. Most cultivars produce red fruit; but a number of cultivars with yellow, orange, pink, purple, green, black, or white fruit are also available. Multicolored and striped fruit can also be quite striking. Tomatoes grown for canning and sauces are often elongated, 7–9 centimetres (3–4 in) long and 4–5 centimetres (1.6–2.0 in) diameter; they are known as plum tomatoes, and have a lower water content. Roma-type tomatoes are important cultivars in the Sacramento Valley where a 120-acre Morning Star cannery handles 1.2 million pounds of tomatoes an hour during the harvest season where the fields yield about 40 tons to the acre.

Tomatoes are one of the most common garden fruits in the United States and, along with zucchini, have a reputation for outproducing the needs of the grower.

As in most sectors of agriculture, there is increasing demand in developed countries for organic tomatoes, as well as heirloom tomatoes, to make up for flavor and texture faults in commercial tomatoes. Quite a few seed merchants and banks provide a large selection of heirloom seeds. Tomato seeds are occasionally organically produced as well, but only a small percentage of organic crop area is grown with organic seed. The definition of an heirloom tomato is vague, but unlike commercial hybrids, all are self-pollinators who have bred true for 40 years or more

Modern Uses & Nutrition
Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other things. They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, which, especially when tomatoes are cooked, has been found to help prevent prostate cancer. However, other research contradicts this claim. Lycopene has also been shown to improve the skin’s ability to protect against harmful UV rays. Natural genetic variation in tomatoes and their wild relatives has given a genetic treasure trove of genes that produce lycopene, carotene, anthocyanin, and other antioxidants. Tomato varieties are available with double the normal vitamin C (Doublerich), 40 times normal vitamin A (97L97), high levels of anthocyanin (P20 Blue), and two to four times the normal amount of lycopene (numerous available cultivars with the high crimson gene).

Though it is botanically a berry, a subset of fruit, the tomato is nutritionally categorized as a vegetable. Since “vegetable” is not a botanical term, there is no contradiction in a plant part being a fruit botanically while still being considered a vegetable.

Tomatoes are used extensively in Mediterranean cuisine, especially Italian and Middle Eastern cuisines. The tomato is acidic; this acidity makes tomatoes especially easy to preserve in home canning whole, in pieces, as tomato sauce, or paste. Tomato juice is often canned and sold as a beverage; Unripe green tomatoes can also be breaded and fried, used to make salsa, or pickled. The fruit is also preserved by drying, often by sun, and sold either in bags or in jars in oil.

Storage
Most tomatoes today are picked before fully ripened. They are bred to continue ripening, but the enzyme that ripens tomatoes stops working when it reaches temperatures below 12.5°C (54.5°F). Once an unripe tomato drops below that temperature, it will not continue to ripen. Once fully ripe, tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator but are best kept at room temperature. Tomatoes stored in the refrigerator tend to lose flavor, but will still be edible; thus the “Never Refrigerate” stickers sometimes placed on tomatoes in supermarkets.

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Ingredient of the Week: Kaolin Clay

Kaolin Clay is found in just about every cosmetic made.

It is considered the mildest of all clays and can be found in soap, scrubs, powders and facial masks. It helps stimulate circulation while exfoliating and cleansing and is suitable for people with sensitive skin.

Kaolin Clay is high in calcium, silica, zinc and magnesium which can be beneficial to blemished skin. The clay’s mild drying action can help heal blemishes and inflammation while preventing new ones from forming.

Regular use of clay facials will remove dead skin cells, improve circulation and remove debris from pores leaving your skin with a healthy glow.

We use Kaolin Clay in our Strawberry Facial Mask.

Country Meadow Ltd. Strawberry Facial Mask

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com

Ingredient of the Week: Strawberry Powder

Strawberries are a rich source of vitamin C, antioxidants, salicylic acid and BHA (beta-hydroxy acid). Salicylic Acid is used in many skin care products for the treatment of acne as it works to help the skin shed dead cells preventing pores from clogging and allowing room for new skin cell growth.

People sensitive to salicylic acid are asked to avoid this ingredient.

We use a cosmetic-grade, preservative free, drum-dried strawberry powder in our fruit based Strawberry Facial Mask!

Our Strawberry Facial Mask is a 100% all natural product created to give your face that baby-soft feel!

Strawberry powder fruit extract is rich in polyphenols and vitamin C providing protection for the skin as well as acting like a gentle, natural toner thereby helping to reduce the appearance of pores.

We have also added coconut powder and powdered goat milk for their skin softening abilities and oat flour for a smooth, silky feel.

Instructions: To 1 teaspoon of mask add the desired amount of warm water. Mix and apply to face. Let dry for 5-10 minutes then rise and pat dry.

Ingredients: Strawberry Fruit Powder, Kaolin Clay, Goat Milk Powder, Coconut Fruit Powder, Oat Flour

Strawberry Facial Mask

Rebecca
Country Meadow Ltd.
Eco-Friendly Shea Butter Spa Products

www.countrymeadowltd.com