Lemon Grass wonderful benefits

 

Lemon Grass as a healing herb also has a number of wonderful benefits. It is said that lemon grass has

- A calming effect and protects against anxiety.

- Relieves insomnia and stress.

- Can be used in helping to detoxify the pancreas, kidneys, liver, bladder and digestive tract.

- Contains antifungal and antibacterial properties.

- Reduce cholesterol, uric acid and excess fat.

- Stimulates digestion.

- Relieves pain and headaches and fever.

- Relieves tension and stiffness.

- Is said to help relieve the pain of arthritis and rheumatism.

- Improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure.

- Reduces acne and improves skin.

- Can even be used as a mild insect repellent to ward off mosquitoes and other unwanted visitors.

- Lemon Grass Tea provides a variety of benefits such as lemon grass is rich in vitamin C and loaded with anti - oxidants, is said to reduce cholesterol herbal drink lemon tea with honey.

Lemon Grass A Flavoring Essential Food And Cosmetic Ingredient

 

Herb Profile: Lemon Grass
Description: Lemon grass is a tender perennial herb that is native to India and Sri Lanka. Lemongrass, with its lemony flavor and aroma, is widely used in Asia-style kitchen. Both the large leaves, green and leaf base bulb can be added to recipes. The commercially produced oil is used as a flavoring essential food and cosmetic ingredient.

Latin name: Cymbopogon citratus.
Common name: lemon grass.
Mature Size: Mature plants can grow to 5 meters by 3 meters wide.

Lemongrass
Sun Exposure: full sun in well-drained soil. Lemon grass does best when grown in moist soil in a moderately moist.
Growing tips: Give this plant plenty of room to grow. Lemon grass can be over winter in areas where the temperature below 45 degrees. For other areas, try growing a small clump of lemon grass in a large bowl. The container can be brought indoors during the colder months.

Starting new plants: lemon grass can also be started from seed. However, plants grown in containers rarely grow enough to produce flowers. Fresh lemon grass stalks, bought at the grocery store, you can use to start new plants. Simply peel off the outer leaves of some stems and place them in a glass of water. Place the glass in a sunny place, like a window, and change the water every few days. The stems will begin to produce roots in a couple of weeks, at which point you can plant in a pot or directly in soil.

Instructions: In the early spring, cut the leaves of this plant a few inches above the ground. Lemon grass is grown outdoors should be divided every year. Dig up and divide the plant into small groups which can then be replanted in other parts of the garden or used for additional container plantations.

Parts used: Fresh leaves can be brewed into a refreshing tea, while the dried leaves make a wonderful addition to potpourri blends. The lower portion, bulbous leaf stalk is sliced ​​or crushed before being added to the culinary creations. The stem should be removed and crushed discarded before serving the meal.

Storage: The leaves of lemon grass are best used fresh, as they lose most of its flavor and aroma when dried. However, the stems can be processed for long-term storage, either in the refrigerator or freezer. To store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks, simply place the stems in a plastic bag. Or the plastic bag filled with lemon grass stalks in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nature Therapy Herbal Medicine The Concept of Oriental Medicine

To know the essence of natural therapy, you should understand the concept of Oriental medicine in the unity between man and nature. The idea of ​​acient Oriental medicine and five elements that make up the universe and man's special quality of the human body and other features include a science of herbs.

Moreover, this emphasis on the idea that the disease is the result of an imbalance of body and mind and not by external factors. One or a consequence, Oriental medicine, according to the body, mind and thoughts parapsychics not mentioned in the same traditional Western medicine with theoretical models based on the body, he said.

In general, the basic concepts of oriental medicine is the man who should be a rebalancing of the person and promote intellectual and physical capacity, and create a harmonious and balanced life for the purpose of self-help and health. Therefore, in treatment, herbal role to play only a rather mitigation to promote integration of environment, body, spirit and soul.


Nature therapy

So it's the beginning of treatment herbal self-therapy in all directions, treatment with herbs is a very effective way. Herbs that can support the maintenance and balance the body and help. detoxify. And restore power at the same time. People can take advantage of natural herbs for the treatment of balance and try to live life with good long-term health

The theories of herbal medicine is that food is the best medicine, and can provide nutrients to the human body needs a small element of people depend on the availability to promote health, healthy, balanced diet is a crucial factor . Therefore, before use of herbal supplements, you should first make sure your daily diet provided that all six flavors round or not.

"Sweet," "acid," "salty," "mild," "bitter", "hard", they all should be a delicious and healthy cuisine. Here you can learn some herbs that are used daily to improve the quality of life. In the east, is very often the use of herbs and medicinal plants are also inseparable from the daily meal

Water, aloe vera helps to eliminate toxins, natural tea, ginger is also a function of detoxification Pa enam แ cinnamon flavor may help smokers to stop smoking clove bractbud the same efficiency and bitter herbs such as echinacea purple to dispel the feeling after surgery or treatment of physiological hemostasis and toxins.

In addition, tea, feverfew, Hop clover tea, tea, valerian, tea and passion fruit with all threats to eliminate the distraction of Psyllium, flax seed fruits and vegetables, grains and beans and nuts, can help promote the death of General exkretion ginseng affects young people and to restore the power of which he had been at the forefront in the West.

Other foods that restore the function of a walnut, garlic, licorice, honey, and other overlastingarms again. Sound of nature and of nature can soothe our souls and promoting health without peace if some herbs at the same time. Area, especially the growth of concerns about the potential of medicinal plants, skin diseases, warts, hemorrhoids and shellfish.

With improved methods of analyzing the development of drug treatment plants are also able to verify traceability and safety of these natural products. Now that is more acceptable in the use of medicinal plants for more serious diseases such as herpes, human papilloma virus (HPV) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Performance With Herbal Medicine

Looking for a way to improve your golf swing, knock a few seconds off your race time or recover from that tennis injury that won’t seem to go away? The answers just might be found in alternative medicine. Many serious athletes as well as weekend warriors have found that herbal medicine gives them the edge they need to increase stamina, heal from injuries and maximize performance.

HERBS
For many years the world wondered how Chinese athletes had such superior performance in sports events. In the 1980s and 1990s dozens of world records were broken and the athletes found themselves being accused of steroid use despite negative drug tests. Slowly we discovered the secret: traditional herbs for energy, stamina and metabolism.

• Cordyceps – Reportedly the herb behind the Chinese dominance of the World Championship Games in 1993, cordyceps increases energy and endurance. It may also relax your airway, allowing you to use less energy to bring oxygen to your muscles.

• Eleuthero Root – Formerly known as Siberian Ginseng, this herb is now cultivated stateside in Oregon, Washington and Northern California. Eleuthero root helps the body adapt to stress and increases energy. Not quite prepared for the marathon? Taking eleuthero root may also help to prevent adrenal burnout and help your body deal with lactic acid build-up, common side effects of overexertion.

• Dong Quai – Not just an herb for female hormone balance, dong quai benefits the circulatory system, increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the tissues and removes metabolic waste toxins. It can also relieve swelling and promote healing.

• Dipsacus – Traditionally used to strengthen sinews and bones, dipsacus is especially useful for lower back and knee pain.

HOMEOPATHICS
Homeopathic solutions provide small amounts of highly diluted substances with the hope that they will stimulate the body to heal itself. They can be taken orally as pills or liquids or injected into the body. Popular homeopathic remedies for athletes include:

• Arnica Montana – for bruises and sprains (e g, following a particularly brutal football tackle)
• Hypericum Perforatum – for nerve pain (e g, if you drop a barbell on your toe in the weight room)
• Rhus Toxicohedron – supports mending of tendons and connective tissue (e g, after that torn tendon following the soccer game with your teenage sons)
• Ruta Graveolens- treats deep bruises (e g, elbow pain after a long tournament against your co-worker)
• Symphytum Officinale – for bone support (e g, if you get hit in the eye with an errant baseball)

EXTERNAL TREATMENTS
Plasters can be placed on a sore muscle like a large bandage. Oils, liniments and creams can be massaged in. All can reduce blood stasis and clotting, relieve swelling and help to repair tissue damage from sprains, strains and injuries. Many external treatments contain analgesic agents such as the pain relieving herb Yan Hu Suo, while the other ingredients help to heal the root of the problem.

With such a wealth of options alternative medicine may hold the key to superior athletic performance. Experiment with these suggestions until you find something that works for you. Whether your goal is to run a five minute mile or simply to be able to play basketball with your grandkids, herbal medicine may help you get there.

Benefits Ginseng

Ginseng is a natural herb that can come from a variety of different plants growing naturally in eastern Asia. The plants that fall into the ginseng family all have fleshy roots and have something in them called “ginsenosides.” Without the present of the ginsenosides a plant is not a true ginseng plant. Today, this family of plant is used in natural herbal supplements for a variety of different purposes.

 

How ginsenosides works inside the body and why they give ginseng so many powerful benefits has been the subject of research in recent years. Scientists have discovered different components of this natural substance that offer different benefits to natural ginseng. For instance, ginsenosides have proven capable of stopping the spread of cancer cells, increasing testosterone levels in males, and improving memory. Most of these studies have been conducted on animals and worms rather than humans.

Since ginsenosides are found only in genuine ginseng plants, it is clear why so many great benefits have been attributed to natural supplements that contain higher concentrations of ginseng. Now that we know what is behind the benefits of ginseng, let’s take a closer look at how natural ginseng supplements could benefit your body.

Benefits of Ginseng in the Bedroom

Some of the most well known benefits of ginseng occur behind closed doors. Research has shown that ginseng can increase libido in men and women while helping men achieve and maintain a solid erection. For this reason, ginseng is a common ingredient in many supplements designed to help with penile erection or libido.

Benefits of Ginseng in the Bloodstream

Ginseng supplements are also being used to help control diabetes. This is not a cure for this very serious medical condition and patients should check with their doctor before combining Ginseng supplements with their medication, but Ginseng has proven to help with the control and regulation of blood sugar. Ginseng supplements are very good for the body.

Benefits of Ginseng in the Brain

You can walk down the supplement aisle of any store or pharmacy right now and find ginseng supplements designed specifically to enhance mental functioning. This is because ginseng plants have proven to help with memory as well as other forms of thinking and brain functioning.Besides being used in supplements to enhance sexual performance, this is one of the mainstream uses of ginseng today.

Benefits on the Metabolism

Ginseng has also successfully been used to increase metabolism which can help with weight loss or weight control. The faster the metabolism goes the more calories you burn throughout the day and night. The more calories you burn the easier it is to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

Choosing Ginseng Supplements

There are a wide variety of supplements that include ginseng as an active ingredient today, but you have to analyze them carefully before making your purchase. These supplements are widely available but you don’t want to just walk into a store and pick up the cheapest bottle. Some manufacturers use the leaves of ginseng plants, while it is the roots that are the most potent. Other manufacturers may use very small concentrations of ginseng which won’t do you much good while still others use plants that are not genuine ginseng.

You can find ginseng supplements with a wide variety of claims, but not all of them have been scientifically studied and verified. There are some great benefits of ginseng that have been proven, so clearly this is a good herbal supplement to consume if you need help in the bedroom or with memory.

Natural Remedies to Have on Hand for Emergency

No one likes to think about potential danger, damage, and insult to our lives. But frightful things can-and sometimes do-happen. Injuries can result, dramatically altering our lives. To handle possible emergencies, it's important to be prepared.

Use Common Sense
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lots of helpful information on what to do in case of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and other disasters, natural or man-made.

For potential disasters, it's vital to have a three-day supply of certain basics on hand. I keep nonperishable food, water, emergency clothing, flashlights with fresh batteries, toilet paper, baby wipes, matches, candles, a knife, a water purification kit, blankets, duct tape, twine, sterile gloves, surgical masks, a well-equipped first-aid kit, and a book on basic first aid in a large plastic bin at home, at work, and in my car.

No one can be completely prepared for every possible emergency. But we can be ready to deal with burns, bleeding, infection, diarrhea, fractures, food poisoning, and accompanying anxiety.

Anxiety
Anxiety is common for anyone facing an emergency situation. Extreme nervousness or a panic attack with a pounding heart, rapid or difficult breathing, and chest pain can all be characteristics of anxiety.

Kava root can relax you within a half-hour. Dosage: 1 tsp liquid 3 X daily or 70 mg of kavalactones 3 X daily in capsule form. Note: While it is best to avoid kava if you are consuming alcohol, short-term use at these dosages poses no risk.

Passionflower has been used traditionally for its calming and relaxing effect-and may also help with insomnia. Dosage: one 250 mg capsule 2 to 3 X daily or 1 tsp liquid 2 to 3 X daily.

Rescue Remedy is extremely helpful for anxiety in cases of physical or emotional emergency. Dosage: 10 drops under the tongue for shock or a severe fright.

Other options include chamomile tea and valerian tincture (1 tsp 3 X daily).

Burns
Burns can be caused by hot water, sun exposure, chemicals, and electricity. Drink an electrolyte beverage and plenty of water to replace lost fluids. For a minor burn from touching a hot surface, immediately take arnica for shock (one dose of 4 to 8 pellets). Once the shock has passed, pain from the burn sets in. At this point, consider:

    * Cantharis to prevent or reduce blistering and pain. Dosage: 30c potency, 4 to 8 pellets, 4 to 6 X daily for acute burns.
    * Calendula lotion or gel, applied at least twice daily, to ease pain, shorten healing time, and prevent infection.

Other options include causticum for severe burns and pain with blister formation. Hypericum lotion also relieves discomfort and aids healing.

Bleeding and Wounds
Bleeding from cuts or wounds is when the first-aid kit (full of sterile 4" x 4" gauze pads, Band-
Aids, surgical tape and wraps, and pressure bandages) is especially helpful. To stop bleeding, press sterile gauze or the cleanest material available firmly over the wound. When the bleeding stops, bandage the wound firmly. But be aware of the need for emergency care if bleeding persists. Call 911 for more serious injuries.

Among natural medicines, the quickest acting are homeopathic. Arnica is the first choice if the bleeding is from a blow or a fall, or if the victim is in shock. Also consider:

    * China when bleeding is accompanied by weakness, faintness, or shortness of breath.
    * Carbo vegetalis if there is steady oozing of dark blood and the individual has collapsed, has cold or clammy perspiration, and shortness of breath. In addition, call 911.
    * Ipecac for bright red blood that gushes (common during a nosebleed), accompanied by nausea and/or cold sweat.
    * Phosphorus for a profuse nosebleed, following injury.

Cinnamon essential oil contains tannin constituents that can quickly reduce the amount of bleeding from any source. Take 1 to 5 drops every 3 to 5 hours.

Digestive Upset
Diarrhea can result from contaminated water and/or food, viral infections, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, or even stress, all common in emergencies.

Garlic (as capsules, powdered, or whole clove) is useful where you anticipate contaminated food or water. Antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and protective against intestinal parasites, this herb has been found to fight E. coli and can inhibit the overgrowth of Candida albicans. Dosage: 1 capsule 2 X daily.

Probiotics, or friendly bacteria like Lactobacillus acidophilus, can aid digestion and fight infection. Probiotics also stimulate immune cells in the local area to fight infection. For acute diarrhea, use products with 10 billion active organisms 2 to 3 X a day for 2 weeks. Take Saccharomyces boulardii for acute diarrhea: 1 capsule 2 X a day for 10 days.

Activated charcoal powder is also useful for diarrhea. Its porous nature allows it to absorb viruses, bacteria, and parasites into its surface area, and carry them out of the body through the stool. Dosage: 2 capsules 2 X a day for 3 days.

Also consider ginger tea every 2 hours, digestive enzymes (1 to 2 capsules with each meal), 500 mg of oregano oil in capsule form (especially if you suspect parasites), or cinnamon bark powder, 1/2 tsp daily.

Food poisoning can occur after eating foods that are unrefrigerated, undercooked, or handled in less than hygienic circumstances. Bacteria may also be found in local water after storms.
Probiotics combat harmful bacteria. Dosage: at least 5 to 10 billion active organisms 2 to 3 X daily.

Oregano oil has antibacterial benefits. Dosage: one 500 mg capsule 4 X daily until symptoms are resolved. Activated charcoal powder can help absorb toxins from food poisoning. Dosage: 3 capsules every 2 to 3 hours for three doses.

Garlic offers a wide range of benefits. Dosage: 1 clove or 1 capsule, 2 to 3 X daily. Arsenicum (30c) is the most common homeopathic remedy for food poisoning. It can treat vomiting and anxiety, as well as diarrhea. Ipecac (30c) is advised for diarrhea accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Also consider goldenseal (300 mg or 1 ml tincture 4 X daily) and ginger (500 mg capsules or 2 ml tincture every 2 hours).

Fractures and Breaks
Fracture is one of the worst injuries that can happen in an emergency. Pain, swelling, bruising, immobility, and shock are the immediate concerns. It's necessary to splint the bones above and below the break. (Here the first-aid book is helpful). Whenever possible, get immediate medical attention. Fractures not only cause continued pain but can also puncture nearby tissue, causing internal and/or external bleeding, and poor healing.

Arnica (30c) should be given as soon as possible after a fracture to reduce pain and swelling while helping to reduce shock. Dosage: 4 to 8 pellets every 2 hours for the first day and then 3 to 4 X daily for the next few days.

Bryonia, for pain caused by the slightest movement, is best taken during the first week after a fracture. Take a couple of doses of arnica in the morning and bryonia twice in the afternoon or evening.

Ice or a cold pack should be applied immediately and for the first 48 hours to reduce the swelling and pain.

Bromelain helps your body to recover after a fracture, injury, fall, or bruise. It has anti-inflammatory effects and can reduce swelling and pain. Dosage: 300 mg to 500 mg 3 X daily.

Infections
Infections, whether of the ear, digestive system, respiratory tract, or skin, respond to antibacterial and antiviral plants. Taken orally, these botanicals can enhance the immune response. Echinacea is especially well-known for its antiviral properties. Dosage: 2 tsp liquid 4 X daily, or 2 capsules 4 X daily.

Garlic is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-parasitic. Eat 2 or more cloves daily, or take 1 capsule 2+ X daily.

Zinc supports immune function and may also have antiviral effects. Zinc lozenges can be used every 2 hours for sore throats, or as a supplement take 15 to 40 mg of zinc a day to help fight an array of infections.

Also consider calendula tincture, which can be applied topically to infections of the skin (it stings just like topical iodine). Make a paste with charcoal powder and flour, and place it between two pieces of clean, soft cloth. Apply to the affected area.

Shock requires immediate attention. Lie the victim down, with feet slightly raised (which sends blood to the head). Keep him warm, offer reassurance, and give arnica. The dosage is 4 pellets every 15 minutes after experiencing an injury or accident that causes a shaky sensation; repeat every hour as needed.

Alternative Medicine Puffy Eyes Natural Remedies and Causes

When due to several reasons there is a swelling in the eyes then this condition is known as puffy eyes. Many people suffer from the problem of under eye puffiness, bags or dark circles under their eyes. Skin around our eyes is very sensitive as it is thin and full of blood vessels. This problem of eye puffiness will go away after some home treatments or automatically after a little bit of time. But sometime this puffiness of eyes is due to some other complications of eyes. So this condition puffy eyes natural remedies and causes alternative medicine

puffy eyes natural remedies and causes alternative medicine of eye puffiness must not be neglected. It requires a proper examination by an eye care professional. Sometimes the puffy eyes are severe and persistent and sometimes this problem is accompanied by discomfort, pain, blurry vision and other conditions for which you must contact to an optometrist.

There are many causes of puffy eyes. Some of its important causes are stress, fluid retention, allergies, hormone changes and also some other factors. Sometimes due to crying also our eyes gets swoll
Terms

factor, allergie, remedie, tear, cream, slice, eyelid, veel, change, require, complication, condition, optometri, circle, treatment

en. Sometimes due to emotional tears can also strain the eyes. We also get our eyes puffy after sleeping. Some different causes are too much consumption of sodium in our diet which causes water retention. Tossing and turning and not getting enough sleep, excessive drinking of alcohol and other factors as well.

If puffy eyes are not caused by any complicated reason and their cause is normal then there are many ways by which we can get rid from the problem of puffy eyes. Some of the important and natural remedies for our puffy eyes

1. Limit the intake of sodium

2. Wash your face with ice cold water.

3. To clean out your system properly drink plenty of water.

4. There are some natural made and effective creams for the application on eyes. Try some soothing eye cream which is made from aloe and full of vitamin E. Apply this cream to your eyes as it is very effective in treating the problem of swelling eyes.

5. You can also place two slices of cool cucumber on your eyes for some time as it will be helpful in reducing the problem of your puffy eyes.

6. For puffy eyes or even for some allergies, it is necessary to find out the allergic things and try to avoid use of those things.

7. Take two tea bags and moist it with cold water, chill them in refrigerator and place them over your closed eyelids for some time.

Herbs for Daily Life

We think that herbal medicine is a different wing of medicine and we are not using herbs in our daily life. However, it is the fact that most of the modern day medicines are prepared in someway or other from herbs and herbal extracts.

According to the World Health Organisation, that 80% of the worlds population is using herbals in their daily life either through food or through medicine or as a supplement.

Herbal medicine is the oldest wing of medicine and there are so many valuable herbs that cure all our illness and takes us nearer to mother Nature.

Herbal medicine is called in different names in different parts of the world like Ayurveda in India, Oriental medicine in China and western herbalism in western countries.

How to stop excessive bleeding during menstruation?

A large number of women suffer from this predicament. Especially, when the menstrual cycle continues for a long period, the bleeding results in extreme weakness. In medical parlance, prolonged mesntrual cycle is termed menorrhagia.
A few home made tips to cure it and stop blood loss include:
*Make a powder of dry skin of pomegranate and take one teaspoon full of this powder with normal cold water. This is a traditional remedy for ladies facing this problem and it stops bleeding.
*Boil 20 grammes of coriander in 200 gramme water until just 50 grammes of water remains. Then strain the water, add misri [candy sugar] and drink it. This also helps in stopping the heavy loss of blood.
*Two teaspoons of coriander powder, sugar and ghee. Mix them in equal quantity and take it thrice a day.
In India and Pakistan, where women avoid going to gynaecologists and where doctors aren't as common as other countries, mahwari-related [or masik dharma] problems are a big issue.

Treating epilepsy through herbal, natural remedies

red pome fruit 

As far as natural and herbal ways of treatment are concerned, here are a few remedies:

1. Give onion juice (around 3 ounce) daily mixed with small quantity of water in the morning. It has to be given regularly for at least 40 days.

2. If the patient is given slight 'heeng' (Asafoetida) along with lemon to chew, it will be helpful to the epileptic. The patient shouldn't immediately gobble it up, rather let it in the mouth and chew slowly.

3. Bake garlic (light broiling) for a while in oil and administer it to the person suffering from epilepsy on a regular basis.

4. Take 60 gms 'henna' (mehndi) juice along with 250 gm milk. It cures the condition as per ayurveda.

4. A wonderful remedy in Indian ayurvedic medicinal system is to boil pomegranate leaves (100 grammes) in 500 gramme water. When just a quarter water remains, filter it and add 60 gramme 'ghee' and an equal amount of sugar. Give it to patient twice in day, in the morning and in the evening. Mostly it works.

Ginger Folk medicine

The traditional medical form of ginger historically was called Jamaica ginger; it was classified as a stimulant and carminative and used frequently for dyspepsia, gastroparesis, slow motility symptoms, constipation, and colic. It was also frequently employed to disguise the taste of medicines.

Tea brewed from ginger is a common folk remedy for colds. Ginger ale and ginger beer are also drunk as stomach settlers in countries where the beverages are made.

* In Burma, ginger and a local sweetener made from palm tree juice (htan nyat) are boiled together and taken to prevent the flu.
* In China, ginger is included in several traditional preparations. A drink made with sliced ginger cooked in water with brown sugar or a cola is used as a folk medicine for the common cold. "Ginger eggs" (scrambled eggs with finely diced ginger root) is a common home remedy for coughing.[citation needed] The Chinese also make a kind of dried ginger candy that is fermented in plum juice and sugared, which is also commonly consumed to suppress coughing. Ginger has also been historically used to treat inflammation, which several scientific studies support, though one arthritis trial showed ginger to be no better than a placebo or ibuprofen for treatment of osteoarthritis.
* In Congo, ginger is crushed and mixed with mango tree sap to make tangawisi juice, which is considered a panacea.
* In India, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache, and consumed when suffering from the common cold. Ginger with lemon and black salt is also used for nausea.
* In Indonesia, ginger (jahe in Indonesian) is used as a herbal preparation to reduce fatigue, reducing "winds" in the blood, prevent and cure rheumatism and control poor dietary habits.
* In Nepal, ginger is called aduwa, अदुवा and is widely grown and used throughout the country as a spice for vegetables, used medically to treat cold and also sometimes used to flavor tea.
* In the Philippines, ginger is known as luya and is used as a throat lozenge in traditional medicine to relieve sore throat. It is also brewed into a tea known as salabat.
* In the United States, ginger is used to prevent motion and morning sickness. It is recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement. Ginger water was also used to avoid heat cramps in the United States.
* In Peru, ginger is sliced in hot water as an infusion for stomach aches as infusión de Kión.

Ginger Medical properties and research

 

Ginger have been claimed to decrease the pain from arthritis, though studies have been inconsistent. It may also have blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties that may make it useful for treating heart disease.

Preliminary research also indicates that nine compounds found in ginger may bind to human serotonin receptors, possibly helping to affect anxiety.

Advanced glycation end-products are possibly associated in the development of several pathophysiologies, including diabetic cataract for which ginger was effective in preliminary studies, apparently by acting through antiglycating mechanisms.

Ginger compounds are active against a form of diarrhea which is the leading cause of infant death in developing countries. Zingerone is likely to be the active constituent against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin-induced diarrhea.

Ginger has been found effective in multiple studies for treating nausea caused by seasickness, morning sickness and chemotherapy though ginger was not found superior over a placebo for pre-emptively treating post-operative nausea. Ginger is a safe remedy for nausea relief during pregnancy. Ginger as a remedy for motion sickness is still a debated issue. The television program Mythbusters performed an experiment using one of their staff who suffered from severe motion sickness. The staff member was placed in a moving device which, without treatment, produced severe nausea. Multiple treatments were administered. None, with the exception of the ginger and the two most common drugs, were successful. The staff member preferred the ginger due to lack of side effects. Several studies over the last 20 years were inconclusive with some studies in favor of the herb and some not. A common thread in these studies is the lack of sufficient participants to yield statistical significance. Another issue is the lack of a known chemical pathway for the supposed relief.

Ginger

For other uses, see Ginger (disambiguation).

"Gingers" redirects here. For the Australian punk rock group, see The Gingers.

Ginger

Color plate from Köhler's Medicinal Plants

Scientific classification e

Kingdom: Plantae

clade: Angiosperms

clade: Monocots

clade: Commelinids

Order: Zingiberales

Family: Zingiberaceae

Genus: Zingiber

Species: Z. officinale

Binomial name

Zingiber officinale

Roscoe 1807

Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family (Zingiberaceae). Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal.

Ginger cultivation began in South Asia and has since spread to East Africa and the Caribbean. It is sometimes called root ginger to distinguish it from other things that share the name ginger.

Horticulture

 

Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. Because of its aesthetic appeal and the adaptation of the plant to warm climates, ginger is often used as landscaping around subtropical homes. It is a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems, about a meter (3 to 4 feet) tall.

Traditionally, the root is gathered when the stalk withers; it is immediately scalded, or washed and scraped, to kill it and prevent sprouting.

Culinary use

Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice.

Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can also be steeped in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added; sliced orange or lemon fruit may also be added. Ginger can also be made into candy.

Mature ginger roots are fibrous and nearly dry. The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Indian recipes, and is a quintessential ingredient of Chinese, Japanese and many South Asian cuisines for flavoring dishes such as seafood or goat meat and vegetarian cuisine.
Ginger acts as a useful food preservative.

Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of 6 to 1, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cakes, ginger ale, and ginger beer.

Candied ginger is the root cooked in sugar until soft, and is a type of confectionery.

Fresh ginger may be peeled before eating. For longer-term storage, the ginger can be placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated or frozen.

Regional use

In Western cuisine, ginger is traditionally used mainly in sweet foods such as ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger snaps, parkin, ginger biscuits and speculaas. A ginger-flavored liqueur called Canton is produced in Jarnac, France. Green ginger wine is a ginger-flavored wine produced in the United Kingdom, traditionally sold in a green glass bottle. Ginger is also used as a spice added to hot coffee and tea.
India and Pakistan, ginger is called adrak in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, aad in Maithili, aadi in Bhojpuri, aada in Bengali, Adu in Gujarati, hashi shunti (ಹಸಿ ಶುಂಟಿ) in the Kannada, allam (అల్లం) in Telugu, inji (இஞ்சி) in Tamil and Malayalam, inguru (ඉඟුරු) in Sinhalese, alay in Marathi, and aduwa(अदुवा ) in Nepali. Fresh ginger is one of the main spices used for making pulse and lentil curries and other vegetable preparations. Fresh, as well as dried, ginger is used to spice tea and coffee, especially in winter. Ginger powder is also used in certain food preparations, particularly for pregnant or nursing women, the most popular one being katlu which is a mixture of gum resin, ghee, nuts, and sugar. Ginger is also consumed in candied and pickled form. In Bangladesh, ginger is finely chopped or ground into a paste to use as a base for chicken and meat dishes alongside shallot and garlic.

In Burma, ginger is called gyin. It is widely used in cooking and as a main ingredient in traditional medicines. It is also consumed as a salad dish called gyin-thot, which consists of shredded ginger preserved in oil, and a variety of nuts and seeds. In Indonesia, a beverage called wedang jahe is made from ginger and palm sugar. Indonesians also use ground ginger root, called jahe, as a common ingredient in local recipes. In Malaysia, ginger is call halia use in many kind of dishes especially a soup. In the Philippines it is brewed into a tea called salabat. In Vietnam, the fresh leaves, finely chopped, can also be added to shrimp-and-yam soup (canh khoai mỡ) as a top garnish and spice to add a much subtler flavor of ginger than the chopped root.
In China, sliced or whole ginger root is often paired with savory dishes such as fish, and chopped ginger root is commonly paired with meat, when it is cooked. However, candied ginger is sometimes a component of Chinese candy boxes, and a herbal tea can also be prepared from ginger.

In Japan, ginger is pickled to make beni shoga and gari or grated and used raw on tofu or noodles. It is also made into a candy called shoga no satozuke. In the traditional Korean kimchi, ginger is finely minced and added to the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process.

In the Caribbean, ginger is a popular spice for cooking, and making drinks such as sorrel, a seasonal drink made during the Christmas season. Jamaicans make ginger beer both as a carbonated beverage and also fresh in their homes. Ginger tea is often made from fresh ginger, as well as the famous regional specialty Jamaican ginger cake.
On the island of Corfu, Greece, a traditional drink called τσιτσιμπύρα (tsitsibira), a type of ginger beer, is made. The people of Corfu and the rest of the Ionian islands adopted the drink from the British, during the period of the United States of the Ionian Islands.

In Arabic, ginger is called zanjabil, and in some parts of the Middle East, ginger powder is used as a spice for coffee and for milk, as well. In Somaliland, ginger is called sinjibil, and is served in coffee shops in Egypt. In the Ivory Coast, ginger is ground and mixed with orange, pineapple and lemon to produce a juice called nyamanku. Ginger powder is used in hawaij, a spice mixture used mostly by Yemenite Jews for soups and coffee.

Is Whole Foods Wholesome?

The dark secrets of the organic-food movement

It's hard to find fault with Whole Foods, the haute-crunchy supermarket chain that has made a fortune by transforming grocery shopping into a bright and shiny, progressive experience. Indeed, the road to wild profits and cultural cachet has been surprisingly smooth for the supermarket chain. It gets mostly sympathetic coverage in the local and national media and red-carpet treatment from the communities it enters. But does Whole Foods have an Achilles' heel? And more important, does the organic movement itself, whose coattails Whole Foods has ridden to such success, have dark secrets of its own?

Granted, there's plenty that's praiseworthy about Whole Foods. John Mackey, the company's chairman, likes to say, "There's no inherent reason why business cannot be ethical, socially responsible, and profitable." And under the umbrella creed of "sustainability," Whole Foods pays its workers a solid living wage—its lowest earners average $13.15 an hour—with excellent benefits and health care. No executive makes more than 14 times the employee average. (Mackey's salary last year was $342,000.) In January, Whole Foods announced that it had committed to buy a year's supply of power from a wind-power utility in Wyoming.

 

But even if Whole Foods has a happy staff and nice windmills, is it really as virtuous as it appears to be? Take the produce section, usually located in the geographic center of the shopping floor and the spiritual heart of a Whole Foods outlet. (Every media profile of the company invariably contains a paragraph of fawning produce porn, near-sonnets about "gleaming melons" and "glistening kumquats.") In the produce section of Whole Foods' flagship New York City store at the Time Warner Center, shoppers browse under a big banner that lists "Reasons To Buy Organic." On the banner, the first heading is "Save Energy." The accompanying text explains how organic farmers, who use natural fertilizers like manure and compost, avoid the energy waste involved in the manufacture of synthetic fertilizers. It's a technical point that probably barely registers with most shoppers but contributes to a vague sense of virtue.

Fair enough. But here's another technical point that Whole Foods fails to mention and that highlights what has gone wrong with the organic-food movement in the last couple of decades. Let's say you live in New York City and want to buy a pound of tomatoes in season. Say you can choose between conventionally grown New Jersey tomatoes or organic ones grown in Chile. Of course, the New Jersey tomatoes will be cheaper. They will also almost certainly be fresher, having traveled a fraction of the distance. But which is the more eco-conscious choice? In terms of energy savings, there's no contest: Just think of the fossil fuels expended getting those organic tomatoes from Chile. Which brings us to the question: Setting aside freshness, price, and energy conservation, should a New Yorker just instinctively choose organic, even if the produce comes from Chile? A tough decision, but you can make a self-interested case for the social and economic benefit of going Jersey, especially if you prefer passing fields of tomatoes to fields of condominiums when you tour the Garden State.

Another heading on the Whole Foods banner says "Help the Small Farmer." "Buying organic," it states, "supports the small, family farmers that make up a large percentage of organic food producers." This is semantic sleight of hand. As one small family farmer in Connecticut told me recently, "Almost all the organic food in this country comes out of California. And five or six big California farms dominate the whole industry." There's a widespread misperception in this country—one that organic growers, no matter how giant, happily encourage—that "organic" means "small family farmer." That hasn't been the case for years, certainly not since 1990, when the Department of Agriculture drew up its official guidelines for organic food. Whole Foods knows this well, and so the line about the "small family farmers that make up a large percentage of organic food producers" is sneaky. There are a lot of small, family-run organic farmers, but their share of the organic crop in this country, and of the produce sold at Whole Foods, is minuscule.

A nearby banner at the Time Warner Center Whole Foods proclaims "Our Commitment to the Local Farmer," but this also doesn't hold up to scrutiny. More likely, the burgeoning local-food movement is making Whole Foods uneasy. After all, a multinational chain can't promote a "buy local" philosophy without being self-defeating. When I visited the Time Warner Whole Foods last fall—high season for native fruits and vegetables on the East Coast—only a token amount of local produce was on display. What Whole Foods does do for local farmers is hang glossy pinups throughout the store, what they call "grower profiles," which depict tousled, friendly looking organic farmers standing in front of their crops. This winter, when I dropped by the store, the only local produce for sale was a shelf of upstate apples, but the grower profiles were still up. There was a picture of a sandy-haired organic leek farmer named Dave, from Whately, Mass., above a shelf of conventionally grown yellow onions from Oregon. Another profile showed a guy named Ray Rex munching on an ear of sweet corn he grew on his generations-old, picturesque organic acres. The photograph was pinned above a display of conventionally grown white onions from Mexico.

These profiles may be heartwarming, but they also artfully mislead customers about what they're paying premium prices for. If Whole Foods marketing didn't revolve so much around explicit (as well as subtly suggestive) appeals to food ethics, it'd be easier to forgive some exaggerations and distortions.

Of course, above and beyond social and environmental ethics, and even taste, people buy organic food because they believe that it's better for them. All things being equal, food grown without pesticides is healthier for you. But American populism chafes against the notion of good health for those who can afford it. Charges of elitism—media wags, in otherwise flattering profiles, have called Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck" and "wholesome, healthy for the wholesome, wealthy"—are the only criticism of Whole Foods that seems to have stuck. Which brings us to the newest kid in the organic-food sandbox: Wal-Mart, the world's biggest grocery retailer, has just begun a major program to expand into organic foods. If buying food grown without chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers has been elevated to a status-conscious lifestyle choice, it could also be transformed into a bare-bones commodity purchase.

When the Department of Agriculture established the guidelines for organic food in 1990, it blew a huge opportunity. The USDA—under heavy agribusiness lobbying—adopted an abstract set of restrictions for organic agriculture and left "local" out of the formula. What passes for organic farming today has strayed far from what the shaggy utopians who got the movement going back in the '60s and '70s had in mind. But if these pioneers dreamed of revolutionizing the nation's food supply, they surely didn't intend for organic to become a luxury item, a high-end lifestyle choice.

It's likely that neither Wal-Mart nor Whole Foods will do much to encourage local agriculture or small farming, but in an odd twist, Wal-Mart, with its simple "More for Less" credo, might do far more to democratize the nation's food supply than Whole Foods. The organic-food movement is in danger of exacerbating the growing gap between rich and poor in this country by contributing to a two-tiered national food supply, with healthy food for the rich. Could Wal-Mart's populist strategy prove to be more "sustainable" than Whole Foods? Stranger things have happened.

Recipe and Directions apple juice

Step 1 - Selecting the apples

The most important step! You need apples that are sweet - that will eliminate the need to add any sugar. Most apple juice doesn't have as much natural sweetness or flavor because they use underripe or off-spec apples. You can choose the best apples you can get and make far better apple juice. Don't get me wrong, it is fine to use "seconds", as long as you cut out the bruised spots!

If you can, choose apples that are naturally sweet, like Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Rome and always use a mixture - never just one type. This year I used 4 bushels of red delicious and one each of Fuji, Yellow Delicious, Gala and Rome. This meant it was so sweet I did not need to add any sugar at all. And the flavor is great! The Fuji's and Gala's give it an aromatic flavor! Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are also excellent, sweet, flavorful apples.

Step 2 - How many apples and where to get them

You can pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. But for large quantities, you'll find that real* farmer's markets, like the Farmer's Market in Forest Park, Georgia have them at the best prices. In 2004, they were available from late September at $11 to $16 per bushel. 2005 prices have been in the $14 to $20 range at the real farmer's markets, like the Atlanta-Forest park Georgia State Farmer's Market and orchards in the southeast of the U.S.

You'll get about 12 to 20 quarts of apple juice per bushel of apples. Count on 15 or 16 quarts per bushel.

* - not the cutesy, fake farmer's markets that are just warehouse grocery stores that call themselves farmer's markets.

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Now's a good time to get the jars ready, so you won't be rushed later. The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle, the water bath processing will sanitize them as well as the contents! If you don't have a dishwasher with a sanitize cycle, you can wash the containers in hot, soapy water and rinse, then sanitize the jars by boiling them 10 minutes, and keep the jars in hot water until they are used. Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot apple juice.

Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.
Apples being chopped upStep 4 -Wash and chop the apples!

I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the apples in plain cold water.

Chopping them is much faster if you use one of those apple corer/segmenters - you just push it down on an apple and it cuts it into segments. Note: You do not peel the apples! You will put the entire apple into the pot to cook.

Step 5 - Cook the Apples

Pretty simple put about 4 inches of water (I used filtered tap water) on the bottom of a huge, thick-bottomed pot. Put the lid on, and the heat on high. When it gets really going, turn it to medium high until the apples are soft through and through.

Hardware stores sell a fruit steamer. I haven't used one yet, but I hear they work well.

NOTE: If you have a electric juicer, you can simply juice the chopped apples, then skip to step 7 to heat the juice to boiling.
Step 6 - Sieve the cooked apples

Now you want to separate the liquid from the pulp, skins, seeds, stems, etc. There are quite a variety of ways to filter the apples.

Unfiltered juice:

* I like a natural apple juice, with the natural cloudiness of the fruit particles in it, so I just plop the cooked apples into a large metal or plastic sieve or colander.
* You can also refrigerate the juice for 24 to 48 hours and then Decant it (without mixing, carefully pour off clear liquid and discard sediment).

Filtered juice:

* A better way if you want filtered apple juice is just to line your sieve or colander with several layers of cheese cloth and let the juice drip through. It could take an hour..
* If you want really clear apple juice (but most people prefer "natural" style with some solids) you can strain the juice through a paper coffee filter place inside a sieve or colander.
* If you want more filtered apple juice, use a jelly bag. Just pour hot prepared fruit pulp into a jelly bag and let it drip. . Do not squeeze the bag.! In my experience this method takes forever.

Note: One of the easiest ways to extract juice is by using a steam juicer available at many hardware and variety stores. If you plan on making a lot of juice or doing this every year, it may be worth buying one. This unique piece of equipment allows you to conveniently extract juice by steaming the fruit which is held in a retaining basket. The juice drops into a reservoir which has a tube outlet for removal. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for using steam juicer.

If your goal is to make apple juice, you will still have a lot of apple pulp left, so I'd recommend you make apple sauce from it (see this page)
Step 7 - Heat the apple juice

Put the apple juice into a large pot. If you want, add cinnamon to taste. You should not need to add any sugar.

The apple juice does not need any further cooking; just get it heated to a low simmering boil and keep it hot until you get enough made to fill the jars you will put into the canner (Canners hold seven jars at once, whether they are quart or pint size)
Step 8 - Fill the jars and process them in the water bath

Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled apple juice of the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Put them in the canner and keep them cover with at least 1 or 2 inches of water and boiling. if you are at sea level (up to 1,000 ft) boil pint or quart jars for 5 minutes and half gallon jars for 10 min. This assumes you kept the juice hit until you filled the jars. If you are at an altitude of 1,000 feet or more, see the chart below

Recommended process time for Apple Juice in a boiling-water canner.
Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack Jar Size 0 - 1,000 ft 1,001 - 6,000 ft Above 6,000 ft
Hot Pints or Quarts 5 min 10 15
Half-Gallons 10 min 15 20
Step 9 - Remove and cool the jars - Done

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.

How to Make Homemade Apple Juice

Making and canning your own apple juice is easy. In fact, if you are making applesauce, you will probably have extra juice from cooking the apples! Here's how to make your own home canned apple juice (some call it apple cider, but it isn't fermented, so I don't think that really applies), complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. The apple juice will taste MUCH better than anything you've ever had from a store, and by selecting the right apples, it will be so naturally-sweet that you won't need to add any sugar at all.

Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 18 months to 2 years, and require no special attention.

Directions for Making Apple Juice
Ingredients and Equipment

* Apples (see step 1)
* Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
* Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sanitize them. ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)t)
* Jar funnel ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)t)
* At least 1 large pot (at least 8-quart size or larger)
* Large spoons and ladles
* Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box" stores carry them - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and rings)
* Sieve:
o a simple metal or plastic sieve.
o colander

* Filters - if you want filtered juice
o jelly bag
o cheesecloth
o coffee filters
* 1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot with a lifting rack to sanitize the jars of apple juice after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates) You CAN use a large pot instead, but the canners are deeper, and have a rack top make lifting the jars out easier. If you plan on canning every year, they're worth the investment.

Apple Juice Showdown

 

 In less than 24 hours, apple juice has gone from a subject few had opinions about to a source of controversy because of Dr. Mehmet Oz's comments about arsenic in the juice on "The Dr. Oz Show" Wednesday.

"I want everyone out there who's already purchased apple juice to keep drinking it," Oz said tonight on "World News with Diane Sawyer," where he discussed the issue with ABC News health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser.

"I don't have any concerns about it in the short run," Oz said. "And the levels that we have detected in the samples that we have looked at are not high enough to make me concerned about short-term issues. My bigger concern is over the next decade or next generation, especially as children grow. Is it possible that because of the changes in where we're getting our food, specifically getting our apples from overseas, we may be exposing our kids to needlessly high levels of arsenic?"

Besser said he had fewer concerns.

"You know, in listening to what Mehmet said there, I think he raises really important issues," said Besser. "I think we have to be concerned about our food supply coming from other countries. And we need to monitor it. But when I look at the evidence of what was in those samples of apple and how the study was done, it doesn't raise concerns to me ... about apple juice right now. ... The disagreement I had was in pointing to apple juice, which plays to the heartstrings of a lot of parents, and saying that this is the demon food. And that was my read on it, and that's why I was upset."

Arsenic can be found in lots of places, Besser said, and the important thing is to continue to test and monitor food so people are consuming acceptable levels of it.

"It's in the air we breathe, it's in the soil we walk on, it's in the water we drink," Besser said. "The issue, and it's an issue that Mehmet raises, is how much and over what period of time" people consume arsenic.

In a spirited showdown hours earlier on "Good Morning America," Besser confronted Oz on what he called "extremely irresponsible" statements.

"Mehmet, I'm very upset about this. I think that this was extremely irresponsible," Besser said. "It reminds me of yelling fire in a movie theater."

"I'm not fear-mongering," Oz fired back. "We did our homework on this risk."

Oz later added on "World News with Diane Sawyer" that the purpose of the show was not to alarm parents, but rather to begin a dialogue on the topic.

"I don't want parents panicking over this," he said. "What I want to have is a conversation so we can bring clarity to this and make it safer."

Oz certainly sparked a debate. Juice manufacturers, government regulators and scientists all weighed in, calling the results of what the show described as an "extensive national investigation" misleading and needlessly frightening to consumers.

In a statement Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, "There is no evidence of any public health risk from drinking these juices."

"The FDA reached out about five days ago and said they disagreed with our findings. They called them irresponsible, which I respect," said Oz. "Their job is to go out there and to try to make the world safer for us, and if they think that we're doing a disservice, they should call that to our attention."

According to the "Dr. Oz Show's" website, a laboratory tested "three dozen samples from five different brands of apple juice across three American cities" and compared the levels of arsenic to the limits of arsenic for drinking water set by the Environmental Protection Agency. It found 10 samples of juice with arsenic levels higher than the limits for water.

The show's experiment tested samples of apple juice made by Minute Maid, Apple and Eve, Mott's, Gerber and Juicy Juice.

The show's test results did not a surprise Don Zink, the senior science advisor for the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. He said the FDA has known for many years that certain foods contain very small amounts of arsenic.

"Arsenic in apple juice is nothing new to us," Zink said. "We have 20 years of data from testing apple juice for arsenic, and all the data say there's simply not a health concern."

Scientists say arsenic is a naturally occurring substance, and is so abundant in the Earth's soil that it often ends up in many of the foods we eat. However, experts make a distinction between this abundant organic arsenic, which is harmless, and inorganic arsenic, which can be found in some pesticides and other chemicals.

"It is the inorganic form of arsenic in the environment that is toxic, and measuring total arsenic is not informative," said Aaron Barchowsky, a professor of environmental health at the University of Pittsburgh who has studied the toxicity of arsenic in drinking water for 15 years.

Oz disagreed that the difference between organic arsenic and inorganic arsenic has been substantiated.

"We don't know enough about organic arsenic to say whether it is safe or not. The FDA has forced companies to pull organic arsenic off the market for fear there might be problems arising from it," he said.

A producer for the "Dr. Oz Show" said its apple juice tests measured total arsenic levels and did not distinguish between organic and inorganic arsenic.

The FDA conducted its own tests of the apple juice investigated by the "Dr. Oz Show." In some of the very same lots of juice tested for the show, the FDA reported finding very low levels of inorganic arsenic -- 6 parts per billion at most, even lower than the 10 parts per billion recommended by the EPA as a safe level for drinking water.