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April 2004
A Japanese Vegetable Garden in a Bottle
Los Banos, Calif. - An "apple a day" may not be enough to keep the doctor away. Nutritionists say you really need to consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables of all colors and types, daily for better health.
Thousands of phytonutrients (also known as phytochemicals) are found in different varieties of plants. Research has proven that specific phytonutrients fight viruses and diseases, but new research is showing that they may also fight allergies.
"We discovered that beta carotene, found in carrots, could help combat allergies," says Noriko Misawa, a food scientist with Kagome, a company that has been established for over 100 years in Japan and is a leader in phytonutrient research.
The study, published by the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) in Japan, suggests that regularly drinking carrot juice could help prevent and treat a wide range of allergies.
Recently, Kagome launched its 100 percent vegetable and fruit juices in the United States. The vegetable line includes a beta-carotene based juice called Carrot Ginger Zest. The other two varieties, True Vegetable Garden and Sweet Summer Tomato Juice, contain high levels of lycopene - an antioxidant shown to lower the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers.
"Our goal was to develop a nutritious drink that also taste good to consumers," says Misawa. "Our juices do not contain any added sugars, artificial additives or preservatives."
The USDA recommends 3 to 5 servings of vegetables a day, but statistics show Americans eat only about one and a half servings. A 6-ounce glass of Kagome juice fulfills USDA guidelines of a full serving of vegetables.
Kagome juices are available in natural health food stores nationwide (Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats). Learn more at: /
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More About Kagome:
The Japanese word kagome describes the weave pattern in vegetable baskets that were traditionally used to harvest tomatoes in Japan. Founded in 1899, by Ichitaro Kanie, a Japanese pioneer in tomato cultivation, Kagome has grown to become the largest producer of tomato and other vegetable products in Japan.
Today, Kagome has established itself in the United States to enhance the health of Americans by combining the ancient wisdom of Japanese concepts like harmony and balance with the latest science to make foods that nourish the body and refresh the mind and spirit.
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