Can the phytonutrients in apples help you regulate blood sugar?

[World's Healthiest Foods]() Healthy Food Tip & Recipe May 19, 2017 The George Mateljan Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests or advertising. Our mission is to help you eat and cook the healthiest way for optimal health. Enjoy shiitake mushrooms this week - mushrooms prized in Asian countries for their therapeutic value. [Shiitake Mushrooms: how to select and store](  Healthy Food Tip Can the phytonutrients in apples help you regulate blood sugar? Recent research has shown that apple polyphenols can help prevent spikes in blood sugar through a variety of mechanisms. Flavonoids like quercetin found in apples can inhibit enzymes like alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Since these enzymes are involved in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, your blood sugar has fewer simple sugars to deal with when these enzymes are inhibited. [Read More]( Healthy Breakfast Recipe from Day 3 of the WHFoods 7-Day Meal Plan Enjoy this recipe from Day 3 of our upcoming WHFoods 7-Day Meal Plan. We encourage you to sample the recipes that we have been (and will be) previewing over the next several weeks. They are packed with nutrition from the nutrient-rich foods found in each recipe. Each day we will share with you a special tip about the foods included in this week's recipe: Banana: A first type of cardiovascular benefit from bananas is related to their potassium content. Bananas are a good source of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since one medium-sized banana contains a whopping 400-plus mg of potassium, the inclusion of bananas in your routine meal plan may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis. The effectiveness of potassium-rich foods such as bananas in lowering blood pressure has been demonstrated by a number of studies. For example, researchers tracked over 40,000 American male health professionals over four years to determine the effects of diet on blood pressure. Men who ate diets higher in potassium-rich foods, as well as foods high in magnesium and cereal fiber, had a substantially reduced risk of stroke. We've also seen numerous prospective clinical research trials showing substantial reductions of blood pressure in individuals eating the potassium-rich DASH Diet. Satisfying Strawberry Smoothie If you feel you don’t have time for a healthy breakfast try our nutrient-rich Satisfying Strawberry Smoothie. Recent studies have scored strawberries 27th among all commonly consumed U.S. foods (both fruits and non-fruits) in terms of their total antioxidant capacity! Combine the strawberries with the other ingredients in this recipe and you will find this smoothie is a great way to jump start your day and help satiate your hunger until lunch. The wealth of health-protective nutrients in this smoothie include 246% DV for vitamin K, 198% DV for manganese, 189% DV for vitamin C, 48% DV for folate and vitamin B1, 46% DV for fiber, 44% DV for magnesium, 38% DV for niacin, 30% DV for vitamin E, and 23% DV for protein. And much more! Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes Ingredients: - 1/4 cup old fashioned oats - 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, cut into chunks - 1-1/2 cups fresh spinach or curly kale - 1/2 medium banana, fresh or frozen cut into chunks - 1/2 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks (of 1/2 cup apple, chopped) - 1 TBS sunflower seeds - 3-4 ICE cubes (optional) - Water or coconut water to thin - Optional: 1/2-1 tsp grated ginger Directions: Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. If too thick, add water or coconut water to thin. Serves 1 [WHFoods Book 2nd Edition] The World's Healthiest Foods, 2nd Edition is complete and ready to order with 2 free gifts valued at $51.95. All international orders (including Canada) must be placed through Amazon.com. From a happy book owner: Thank you so much for your amazing book and all the good information. I love your book. - NO [Read more about our book]( $39.95 [buy now]( visit our homepage at Newsletter circulation: over 120,000 Copyright © 2017 The George Mateljan Foundation, All Rights Reserved George Mateljan Foundation, PO Box 25801, Seattle, Washington 98165 [Unsubscribe]( | [Change Subscriber Options](