Antioxidants

THAT daily dose of java provides more than a quick pick-me-up in the U.S. diet. New research shows that coffee is the No. 1 source of bioflavonoids, a type of antioxidant -- simply because Americans drink so much of it. After analyzing the amount of bioflavonoids in 100 foods and beverages, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices and common drinks, researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania combined these numbers with data from the U.S.

Tomatoes and lycopene have become closely connected, since about 80% of the cancer-fighting lycopene Americans consume is in processed tomato products, including sauces and ketchup. The antioxidant lycopene gives foods such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava and rose hips their red color. Tomatoes get most of the attention, however, because the other foods haven't been studied as thoroughly. But watermelon soon may be getting more notice.

Bacopa monniera is a creeping, white-flowered plant with succulent leaves, native to marshy areas of the southeastern United States, India and Pakistan. The plant, also known as water hyssop, has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine (a form of traditional medicine that originated in India) to improve heart and respiratory health, digestion and memory. Recent research shows it may be an effective antioxidant too.

Michelle Wong tried to hold back the tears after learning that her landlady had ripped out the goji berry planted in the backyard of her apartment in Koreatown. The shrub was head-high and starting to put out little purple and white flowers where the fruit would appear in summer. “A lot of people try to grow it, but it's not that easy,” she said, looking at the remains of the plant. She tried to pluck a few cuttings, in hopes of starting new plants in a place that was more protected.

Sweet potatoes are often regarded as a healthier alternative to the white potato, which has been recently maligned as “Public Enemy No. 1” in America’s battle of the bulge. Some would even say that sweet potatoes are to white potatoes what brown rice is to white. But in a head-to-head comparison, these two tubers are seemingly very similar. In a 100-gram portion, the white potato has 92 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 2.3 grams of dietary fiber, 2.3 g of protein and 17% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. The same amount of sweet potato, on the other hand, has 90 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 35% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and 380% of the daily recommended value of vitamin A. Importantly, both have won Vegetable of the Month designations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The food fight over the purity of extra virgin olive oil has boiled up again. The UC Davis Olive Center and the Australian Oils Research Laboratory released on Wednesday a second research report that found nearly three-quarters of the samples they tested of top-selling imported olive oil brands failed international extra virgin standards. The report follows a similar study the two research centers conducted last summer, which slammed imported olive oils and said that two-thirds of common brands of extra-virgin olive oil found in California grocery stores aren't what they claim to be. Wednesday's report, entitled "Evaluation of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Sold in California," drew a larger group of samples from fewer brands ?

Teas from across the globe are becoming more and more popular in the U.S. One relative newcomer, yerba mate, is attracting fans for its allegedly jitter-free caffeine boost and high antioxidant content. Lab research suggests some potential health benefits from drinking yerba mate, but studies of lifelong yerba mate drinkers in the tea's native South America suggest the brew increases the risk of some cancers -- a fact most marketing campaigns omit.

Nearly three-quarters of popular brands of extra-virgin olive oil found in California grocery stores don't qualify as extra-virgin under international quality standards, according to a new study. The report, released Wednesday by the UC Davis Olive Center and the Australian Oils Research Laboratory, is a follow-up to a similar study the two research centers conducted last summer. That earlier report said that two-thirds of common brands of extra-virgin olive oil found in California grocery stores aren't what they claim to be. Many of those problematic oils, labeled "extra-virgin," were imports that commanded premium prices, according to the researchers.

Have you ever slathered on sunscreen but somehow managed to miss your nose? Or the back of your hand? Or the tops of your feet? You're not the only one. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most people apply less than half of the optimal amount of sunscreen, a habit that adds up to a lot of burned patches and uncomfortable rides home from the beach.