Tag Archives: wine

Award Winning Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted by on May 10, 2012 No comments

Cabernet Sauvignon is famously known for the kinds of grapes and for the kind of wine it is able to produce. Cabernet Sauvignon is also known to the people as among the finest and most exquisite of red wines in the world E415, mainly because of its richness in flavor and the depth in the complexity. The other names these grapes and wines have are Petit Vidure, and Petit Cabernet.

Cabernet Sauvignon is abundantly grown across the world – Australia; Lebanon; NY; South America; Long Island Flaxseed oil supplier, Northern California; and lastly, France. The grape that is used for these kinds of wines is really very durable and can adapt to different climatic conditions very well.
The Napa valley wineries have for long been on the connoisseur’s list of delight. The Napa valley wineries are known for the process they employ while making the wines. The people engaged in these wineries have been doing this for a long time and are experts in doing the right things so that the rich flavor and the rich aroma comes out of the wines.

The Napa valley wine ratings have always been top notch. The Napa valley wine has been scrupulously evaluated by the common people who drop by to have a good time and also the connoisseurs and the experts at wine culture who have given the wine a high rating. The Napa valley wine ratings have been consistently high because it has received high ratings on many counts.

For example, the wine is rated on the production process, the ingredients used, the time taken to process the ingredients and the method of mixing the ingredients and lastly, the collection process.
Among all the wines that Napa valley produces, the Napa valley red wines have been the greatest and probably the tastiest that has wowed people from across the globe. The Napa valley red wines are as much known for their taste and aroma as is known for their health values.

Cabernets can be both mild and mellow, and rich and hearty. Typically, Cabernets deep red colored and the main taste is like black currant. The other variants are usually mint and blackberry. Since the wine is traditionally oak aged Vitamin B2 manufacturer, it tends to typically take a vanilla and oaky flavor.
On the other hand Grape seed Extract manufacturer, the cabs of a higher quality can age very well (although they age somewhat slowly), and in the process tends to develop a sprinkling that has multiple flavors and tastes within the wines.
Hence the Cabernet variety of wine can really conjure up a magic as far as the tastes and the customer satisfaction go. People from all over the world have acknowledged the superiority of this variant and have given high ratings to this.
Related topics:

Red and White Wines A Storage Solution by Ronald Senn

Posted by on February 5, 2012 No comments

Wines are unique beverages in that their taste can vary dramatically from one vintner to the next and from one type of grape to another. This very fact is what makes wine interesting for us to drink, compare and enjoy. However, these same variations also tend to complicate their respective wine storage and aging processes.

Red wine is fermented with the juices and solids (skins and pulp) mixed. On the other hand, grape juice that is separated from the solids is used to make white wine. Red wines are often improved by aging them from five to fifteen years. White wines generally are made to be consumed immediately and aging them beyond three years may actually be detrimental to their enjoyment.

Many wine information sites generalize that the optimal wine storage temperature is 55 degrees F. Some wine sites establish a range of temperatures for red wines at 50 to 64 degrees F., while the white wine range is from 41 to 50 degrees F. Because white wines generally age faster than red wines, storing them at a cooler temperature will slow their respective aging process and allow them to be stored longer than if at higher temperatures. Storing red wine at slightly higher temperatures than white wines will allow them to age within a reasonable period.

What is the best solution to wine storage when enjoyment of both red and wine wines is your desired goal? Investing in a wine refrigerator or wine chiller designed with two different storage zones is the best solution. Commonly called dual zone wine coolers, these appliances have two separate and independently controlled temperature environments: one for red wines and one for whites. This type of wine cellar allows the wine enthusiast to “enjoy the best of both worlds”.

Dual-zone wine coolers come in two basic configurations. The most common configuration is to have the two independent zones on top and bottom of your wine refrigerator. Each of these two compartments will have their own respective temperature controls. Another configuration you can purchase is the side-by-side configuration. This type of wine cooler commonly has what are often termed “French Doors”. Either configuration will enhance the look of your home and solve the problem of storing and aging different types of wine.

Storing and aging your red and white wines at their best temperature will enhance your enjoyment of them. Being prepared to address all of the different wine choices of your guests will make you an entertainment professional.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, August 2010
Related topics:

    Fooding Group Limited is a global provider of food ingredient specializing in serving the demand for raw materials needed for finished food products. Our clients trust us to provide quality ingredients every single time.

Wines Making For First-timers

Posted by on February 5, 2012 No comments

Wines making is really a some thing exciting which can be done in your spare time as well as the end you will find a wonderful outcome. Wines making is an activity that people usually tend to have hooked on as the earliest batch will not be normally perfect, it might flavor delicious but it really will not be great. As you may learn about wines making and as you can get the wine making experience guiding you your wines can get much better and much better. You might undoubtedly get tricks and tips to assist you strengthen your wines making capacities.

Almost all wines use the grape for any benefits all this is because this little grape could have countless needed wine materials presently implanted in it. In wine making your results are going to be facts about amount and chemicals and also the grape has lots of the required chemicals inside it already.

For a very good and also tasty wines making you will must have the appropriate balance of sugars, tannin, moisture as well as nutrients, nicely, it just thus happens the fact that grape has a great balance to be able to excellence. This gives for the grape for you to ferment, because it should for successful wines making. Selecting the right grape is simply the early of your wines making journey though.

There are various grapes which you can use so when you get much more experienced at wines making you might want to put in a small of some other fruits on the mix to make your current wines some additional degree as well as flavoring. Learn about the numerous grapes you can use in wine making and ways in which they will affect the results of the wine making procedure. You know what type of wines you prefer which means this will provide you with a perception of how to take your own wines making in.

By: easy writer

Article Directory:

Wino is freelance writer, her new blog at wine making blog here.
Related topics:

    Fooding Group Limited is a global provider of food ingredient specializing in serving the demand for raw materials needed for finished food products. Our clients trust us to provide quality ingredients every single time.

Rioja Wines by Ruth Polak

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

The Rioja region in Northern Spain is situated in the Rio Ebro valley, it’s northern border being bounded by the Sierra de Cantabrias mountain range and it’s southern by the Sierra de la Demanda. The resulting geographical location creates conditions that have produced a perfect environment for vineyards.

The Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja covers some 57,000 hectares located in 3 Autonomous Communities those of La Rioja, The Basque country and Navarra. Between them they produce around 250 million litres of Rioja wine per annum Of which 85% is red and the rest whites or rosés.

Wine has been produced in this area for centuries, initially by monks in the middle ages but as far back as 1635 the Mayor 0f Logroño decreed that no carriages were to pass along the roads next to the cellars for fear that the vibration from them might affect the juice and the ageing of the precious Rioja wines.

In 1102 we find the first document making reference to the safeguarding of the quality of Rioja wines when King Sancho of Navarra legally recognized the wines from this area. Then in 1787 the Real Sociedad Económica de Cosecheros de Rioja (Royal Economic Society of Rioja Winegrowers) was established with the sole purpose of encouraging the cultivation of vines, wine production and its commercial development.

In 1902 came a Royal Decree which defined the “origin” applicable to Rioja Wines and then in 1926 came the Consejo Regulador (Control Board) with responsibility to define the designated boundaries of the Rioja region, supervise and issue the “seal of approval”, and to recommend the legal action to be taken against mis-use of the name Rioja. In 1945 the board received it’s legal structure and then in 1953 finally became officially established from which time it has set out the foundations for a modern and efficient production of these world famous Spanish wines.In 1970 this responsibility was clearly defined thus, “The Control Board shall uphold the Designation of Origin and implement, monitor and foster the quality of its wines.”

The long history of the production and development of Rioja wines has resulted in a wine of outstanding quality which can confidently stand shoulder to shoulder with many of the worlds finest wines. This was further acknowledged when on April 3rd. 1991 a Ministerial Order granted the category of “Calificada” to the D.O., the first and only wine designation of origin in Spain to attain this ranking.

Rioja Wines, Grape Varieties.

For many centuries wine has been produced in the Riojan area and obviously this lengthy passage of time has resulted in the natural selection of grapes best suited to the area and best able to produce wines of the highest quality.

Factors such as soil type and climate play a large part in this selection process but of course the resultant wine is an all important consideration as well.

Today seven varieties of grape are permitted by the Regulations of the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja, these are:-

Red grape; Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano and

White Grape; Viura, Malvasía and White Garnacha.

Types of Rioja Wines.

Most Rioja wines are normally the result of the harmonious combination, in varying proportions, of the different varieties grown in the region and the different sub-areas within them.

Rioja wines exhibit much aromatic complexity. They are fresh, with a medium body, a balanced structure, and an excellent bouquet.

* Red wines: Classic wines of bright colour with a fresh, penetrating aroma; light in the mouth with medium alcohol content. Tempranillo is the predominant variety used to make these wines.

* Rosé wines: Bright pink wines with a strong fragrance. They are light and fresh in the mouth, with medium alcohol content. Garnacha is the predominant variety used to make these wines.

* White wines: Greenish-yellow, which can be more or less pale. They exhibit fine aromas and prove light in the mouth with fairly low alcohol content. Viura is the predominant variety used to make these wines.

Ageing Rioja Wines.

Rioja wines are aged in 225-litre oak casks, with periodic rackings, followed by a further period of bottle ageing. There are over 270 ageing bodegas in Rioja which have a total of over 900,000 casks. The different Rioja wine categories are based on minimum ageing periods, which can vary between 1 and 3 years in casks and between 6 months and 6 years in the bottle, depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, a Reserva or a Gran Reserva.

Rioja wines are aged in oak casks of 225 litre capacity with periodic rackings.

Then follows a period of bottle ageing. The length of the ageing process differs between different categories of Riojan wine and can vary from 1-3 years in the cask and 6 months to 6 years in the bottle depending on whether the wine is to be a Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva. Today there are over 270 ageing bodegas in Rioja with over 900,000 casks.

The lengthy tradition of winemaking in the Rioja region of Northern Spain with the inherent wealth of experience that such a period of trial, error, disaster, success and experimentation produces has resulted in blessing the world with a marvellous wine which will satisfy the most discerning palette.

The Health Benefits of Red Wine.

A further excellent fact about Rioja, and most dark red wines, is that scientific evidence now tells us that they are positively good for us.

Drunk in moderation they provide us with those all important anti- oxidants. One of which in particular, called reservatrol, has been shown to have anti-cancer properties as well as to have an anti-blood clotting effect. Further proof perhaps of the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. So now when you take a drink of red wine and say, ” your health”, you can really mean it. CHEERS!

A Beginners Guide To The Delights Of Champagne by Andrew Jamaz

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

As a true aficionado of fine wine, you’re likely to love a good champagne. Not only do they smell and taste great, but the explosion of fizz is unusual and enjoyable. Who doesn’t enjoy popping a champagne cork and pouring the wine into a flute as the effervescence forms in the glass? Did you know that wines from the Champagne region of France are the only ones permitted to be called champagne? Although that technically only applies within the European Union, many other countries around the world have agreed not to use the word champagne on their wines to avoid confusing consumers.

What Does Vintage Mean?

Vintage wines are from one year’s harvest only. Usually vintage wines are much more expensive so most people settle for non-vintage wines which are produced from wines of different years blended together. A benefit of non-vintage champagnes is that they are more consistent because they don’t rely on one year’s harvest.

Champagne Production

The primary grapes using in making champagne are Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Méthode Champenoise is how the wines is usually made. Unlike normal wine production, a second fermentation step inside the bottle happens when yeast and rock sugar are introduced. After the frementation is finished, the neck of the bottle collects the waste from the fermentation and is then chilled so that the liquid in the neck of the bottle freezes. When the bottle is opened, the frozen liquid at the top of the bottle neck is forced out under pressure, discarded, and the bottle re-capped.

An example of a non-vintage champagne would be Champagne De Vallois, which is a blend of three grape varieties, Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs, along with Pinot Noir and Meunier from the Marne region of France. The wine itself is dry with an elegant freshness and hints of citrus and cream.

Buying Online

There are many different champagnes to suit all tastes and budgets. However, one of the best ways to get a good deal is to buy it online, especially if you buy it in a case of six or twelve bottles for dramatic savings. There are some things which are unsuitable to buying online, but fortunately, wine isn’t one of them. As long as you buy from a trusted online retailer who packs the wine well, there shouldn’t be any problem in getting it shipped to you. Don’t forget to check for discounts, coupons and special deals. I’ve seen fifty percent discounts, which can add up to big savings. Overally, it’s possible to get affordable yet excellent wines delivered direct to your door without a huge impact on your wallet, and what better way to celebrate than with a case of champagne?

Award Winning Cabernet Sauvignon by Ward Andrews

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

Cabernet Sauvignon is famously known for the kinds of grapes and for the kind of wine it is able to produce. Cabernet Sauvignon is also known to the people as among the finest and most exquisite of red wines in the world, mainly because of its richness in flavor and the depth in the complexity. The other names these grapes and wines have are Petit Vidure, and Petit Cabernet.

Cabernet Sauvignon is abundantly grown across the world – Australia; Lebanon; NY; South America; Long Island, Northern California; and lastly, France. The grape that is used for these kinds of wines is really very durable and can adapt to different climatic conditions very well.

The Napa valley wineries have for long been on the connoisseur’s list of delight. The Napa valley wineries are known for the process they employ while making the wines. The people engaged in these wineries have been doing this for a long time and are experts in doing the right things so that the rich flavor and the rich aroma comes out of the wines.

The Napa valley wine ratings have always been top notch. The Napa valley wine has been scrupulously evaluated by the common people who drop by to have a good time and also the connoisseurs and the experts at wine culture who have given the wine a high rating. The Napa valley wine ratings have been consistently high because it has received high ratings on many counts.

For example, the wine is rated on the production process, the ingredients used, the time taken to process the ingredients and the method of mixing the ingredients and lastly, the collection process.

Among all the wines that Napa valley produces, the Napa valley red wines have been the greatest and probably the tastiest that has wowed people from across the globe. The Napa valley red wines are as much known for their taste and aroma as is known for their health values.

Cabernets can be both mild and mellow, and rich and hearty. Typically, Cabernets deep red colored and the main taste is like black currant. The other variants are usually mint and blackberry. Since the wine is traditionally oak aged, it tends to typically take a vanilla and oaky flavor.

On the other hand, the cabs of a higher quality can age very well (although they age somewhat slowly), and in the process tends to develop a sprinkling that has multiple flavors and tastes within the wines.

Hence the Cabernet variety of wine can really conjure up a magic as far as the tastes and the customer satisfaction go. People from all over the world have acknowledged the superiority of this variant and have given high ratings to this.

Perfect Wines For The Summer by Michael Hutchins

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

Summertime, with it’s sweltering heat and heavy air, does something to a wine drinker’s palate. We no longer crave a tannic rich Cabernet, for example. They tend to make us warm. During the hot months, wine drinkers tend to crave wines high in acidity. These livlier wines tend to be more cleansing and refreshing. So, put away your Merlots and Cabernets for the Summer, and join us for a tour of some delightful summer substitutes.

No question about it, we Americans love our Champagne! We drank about 35 million gallons of it in 2006. This figure represents about a 20% increase from 2001. We would probably drink alot more of it, but it’s price has risen right along with it’s popularity. An excellent, economical substitute is a proseco from the Veneto region of Italy. Proseco comes extra dry, or brut, which is drier still. Heavy, creamy dishes such as fettucine Alfredo, complement the lively, dry quality of proseco. Proseco tends to cut through the oiliness and richness of Salmon or even an avacado. Proseco leaves us cleansed and refreshed, and eager for the next bite!

Though sometimes a little too sweet, Spanish Cavas are a great, bubbly alternative to champagne. Extremely affordable, most cavas are under 20 dollars. Most Cavas are made west of Barcelona, in northeastern Spain. Cavas are generally sparkling wines, however once in awhile youll run across a rose. With aromas ranging from apple to lemon, Cavas are one of the main reasons that Spain is rapidly ascending in prominence in the world of wines.

Although only slightly effervescent, Portugal’s Vinho verde still qualifies as a choice alternative to Champagne and an excellent summer wine. Featuring a delicate lightness and a lower alchohol content, Vinho Verde is perfect for hot, summer days when the tendancy is to consume your wine a little more quickly. Perfect for many types of foods, Vinho Verde is usually quite fruity, with citrus being the most common. Generally a young wine, Vinho Verde has earned the nickname “green” wine.

Beacause it lacks the harsh tannins of a Cabernet, the full bodied spirit of a Grenache is a good summer choice. Although most associate a Grenache from France or Australia, Grenache is grown in abundance in the Priorat region of Spain. Grenache typically conveys accents of dark fruits such as black plums or rasberries. Californis, too has it’s share of Grenache. Interesting enough, Grenache complements a good old fashioned burger as well as anything else!

In finishing our round-up of great summer wines, we still have a few more that deserve mention. Sauvignon blanc, particularly from New Zealand, is a great summer choice. It features just the right amount of acidity combined with the goodness of gooseberry and grapefruit. The ever popular pinot grigio, especially from Italy is clean and wonderfully refreshing! A little less well known is a Gruner Veltliner from Austria. Gruners are wonderfully crisp and thirst quenching. They are bone dry and are frequently laced with green apple.

Needless to say, we have left out somebody’s favorite summer wine. For that we are sorry. Hopefully we have included some wines that will make this summer perfect for discovering new favorites

Feel free to reprint this article and distribute to your favorite newsletters, e-zines, website owners etc. Please don’t change the content, eliminate links, or alter the resource box.

How To Brew Wine At Home by Orville Boisvert

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

Ever wonder how to brew wine at home? What do I need? How much will it cost? Is it legal? Well keep reading, I am about to tell you all you need to know to get started on making your wine from home.

First you need a wine making kit. These kits, to alot of peoples surprise, are not that expensive. A 5 or 6 gallon kit will cost between $50 and $100. Your ingredients will cost $30 to $70. That comes out to about 2.50$ a bottle.

You don’t need a winepress. Wineries use these winepresses to extract every last drop of juice from the fruit. Not for quality reasons. At $1 to $2 a bottle for home wine makers, the last drop of juice is not important.

Making wine at home is legal. A household of 2 adults can make up to 200 gallons of wine a year. And a household of 1 adult can make 100 gallons a year. You will need to check with your local authorities if you intend to sell or distibrut your wine.

The most important thing you need to have is good recipes and clear instruction on how to use them. This is where alot of wine makers fail. The recipes might be good but the instruction part is to vague. There are some additives that need to be added wheter listed or not. And some wine need to be shaken every 48 hours and some don’t.

You will also need to determine how sweet you like your wine. This is done with a hydrometer. Wich comes with the wine making kit. A reading of 1020 on the hydrometer means it is a sweet wine, 1010 is medieum and 990 is very dry.

Wine making at home is not hard as long as you have the right equipement, a basic kit works fine, and some good recipes and instruction.

Washington Wines Just East of Greatness by Jennifer Jordan

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

When people think of the wines of the northwest, chances are they ignore Washington and think mainly of Oregon. With its penchant for Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir, Oregon has seemingly left Washington state Pinot Poor. Yet, Oregon is not the only state in this upper region capable of making wine, Pinots or otherwise. Washington, over the past decade and a half, has developed into a major wine player and now has more than the ability to serve as Oregon’s tag team partner. Move over timber, the northwest has a new baby.

Washington Wine is perhaps the tastiest alliteration in vocabulary today (sorry, pickled peppers, you were a close second). Full of flavor, concentration, and body, Washington Wines are giving everyone a reason to wash down their steak with a bottle of Merlot. Yet, it wasn’t always like this.

The first grapes in Washington were planted in the late 1800′s. Quite literally late bloomers, they didn’t fully develop into greatness until the early 1990′s when people began to realize three important things: Washington possessed the same latitude as famous European wine regions, Washington had – on average – two more hours of sunlight a day than California, and Washington contained areas shielded by the Cascade Mountains. This shield left eastern Washington under a geographical umbrella, providing vineyards with nearly ideal climate.

For these reasons, winemakers began to make wine in the eastern portion of the state. In fact, the decision was made to plant eight out of nine viticultural areas in eastern Washington (and four out of five dentists agreed). The sole western wine region is Puget Sound. Laying west of the Cascade Mountains, it spends its day producing grapes that excel in cold climate – such as Madeline Sylvaner, Muller-Thurgua, and Siegerrebe – and its nights singing Celine Dion’s “All by Myself.”

The eastern viticultural areas include Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, Walla Walla, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke, Rattlesnake Hills, and Columbia Gorge. These areas are famous most notably for two grapes: Merlot and Cabernet. Labeled as among the best red wines in the world, to some people no Merlots and Cabernets can compare to the ones made in eastern Washington.

On the white side of things, eastern Washington is best known for Chardonnays, Rieslings, and Sauvignon Blancs. However, Chenin Blanc, Fruit Wines, Semillon, and Sparkling Wines are also gaining in popularity.

The conditions of eastern Washington may seem like a winemakers dream, but it is not without its faults. While viticulturists reap the benefits of a regular growing season and grapes that attain perfect ripening, they must also deal with fits of weather. Mother Nature occasionally wrecks havoc on this area with winter freezes, leaving wine growers to label her a “drama queen” and also destroying portions of vineyards. Sometimes, it takes several years to bring a vineyard back to full production.

Taking leads from its southern competition, Washington is in the middle of creating a tourism industry that parallels Napa Valley. However, Washington has found itself tangled in a vine of obstacles. These include the remoteness of many of the vineyards – as many of them are located in the proverbial “middle of nowhere” – and lack of lodging (people may find themselves all wined up with nowhere to go). The lack of transportation hubs is also a factor. Nonetheless, the Washington Wine Tourism Task Force was created in 2000. And so, Operation: Wine and Dine, continues.

If a Napa Valley-like industry is eventually created, it would likely benefit Washington on astounding levels, adding a new element to the economy, creating knowledge of the wine industry, and giving Seattle – the Washington city where tourists tend to flock – some much needed space….needle.

As of right now, Washington will just have to be happy with where it stands, showing the world that Washington mountains aren’t the only thing capable of erupting. Already second in varietal wine production in the US, this blossoming industry has over 31,000 acres dedicated to vineyards, and 120,000 grapes harvested each year. Washington also ships its product to over 40 nations, giving us Americans the assurance that at least one of our Washingtons is on good terms with the rest of the world.

What Are Phytonutrients by Mary Desaulniers

Posted by on January 30, 2012 No comments

Folk wisdom has always singled out fruits and vegetables as being indispensable for health, but it has only been within the last thirty years that we know why. Science and technology have isolated compounds in plants and vegetables that have literally been our life-savers. These are phytonutrients which all fruits and vegetables produce because their means of survival in the environment is through the release of disease-fighting phytochemicals. Phytochemicals stimulate the production of protective self-repairing cells in plants. They also produce the same kinds of responses in humans. For example, they release protective enzymes that inhibit cancer-producing substances, thus reducing our susceptibility to disease. It makes sense for us to harness the powers of plants in our diets. Four sources of phytonutrients that cannot be ignored if we want to remain healthy and cancer free are berries, cruciferous and dark, leafy vegetables, soy and red wine.

Berries, such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries offer the highest sources of phytonutrients. They all produce a natural substance called ellagic acid which has been shown to be a good defense against carcinogens because they suppress tumor development. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant content. High in flavonoids, they also provide powerful protection against prostate cancer. Two and a half cups of fresh strawberries a day can supply enough vitamin C to help restore sperm production in men. Cranberries have been known to prevent cystisis, a painful and often recurring urinary tract infection in women. A study involving 72 postmenopausal women found that 10 ounces of cranberry juice every day reduced the likelihood of bladder infection by 58%. Cranberries have also been shown to reduce stomach ulcers and lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) and dark leafy vegetables (like swiss chard, spinach) also have high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients. In a study conducted by New York’s Strang-Cornell Cancer Research Laboratory, women who consumed a diet high in cruciferous vegetables experienced a dramatic drop in estrogen levels, which means that these vegetable are definitely powerful tools for fighting against breast cancer. The assumption is that the phytochemicals in these vegetables deactivate potent estrogens, thus preventing estrogen-sensitive cells, particularly in the breast , from developing tumors. Sulforaphane, another phytochemical in cruciferous vegetables, triggers a self-defense system in the body that acts to detoxify carcinogens. Spinach contains four times more beta carotene than broccoli and is a good source of vitamins C and E. It also has high levels of photosynthetic proteins which convert sunlight into energy. Researchers at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology are harnessing the power of spinach in a new direction–creating highly cost-effective solar panels.

Soy is another phytonutrient rich food. Soy products contain genestein, which has been shown to have strong anti-cancer properties. It contains as well phytoestrogen, which has been shown to reduce the risk and spread of prostate cancer. Researchers suggest that the phytonutrient isoflavones, like phytoestrogen, may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Another isoflavone compound in soy called daidzein has also been found to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels in women. A study conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles has uncovered evidence that this estrogen-like compound is the main reason for soy’s healthy effects. Women with low estrogen levels seemed to have benefited most from daidzein, which reduced LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels, leading researchers to recommend that women include soy food products as part of their cardiovascular risk reduction strategies.

And last but not least is the phytonutrient, resveratrol, found in red wine, that literally makes wine drinking a cancer-fighting measure. Resveratrol is present in the leaves, twigs and bark of the grape vines. And red wine, which is fermented from grape skins, seeds and twigs tends to have large quantities of these cancer-fighting substances. Resveratrol has also been demonstrated to be a potent antioxidant (more potent than vitamin C alone) which can act synergistically with vitamin C, thus enhancing the effects of each. It also prevents the formation of blood clots and promotes the formation of new dendrites in the brain.

Let us put all these phytonutrients to good use. Why not sit down to a hearty soy burger, broccoli spears and cauliflower salad, warm berry compote and a glass of red wine? Yummy! Life cannot be better!