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"Get Your '5 A Day' from new juices"
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," said Noriko Misawa, a food scientist with Kagome, a company that has been established for more than 100 years in Japan and is a leader in phytonutrient research.
The study, published by the National Institute of Health Sciences 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.
The USDA recommends three to five 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, such as Whole Foods Market in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh.