The Citrus Family Tree

Citrus, in many ways, stands alone. So many cultivated species have come from so few primary ancestors. Just three, in fact: citrons, pomelos, and mandarins, all native to South and East Asia before they started their journeys west, to places like Florida, California, and Brazil that built entire economies around fruits from the other side of the world.

Such simple lineage is the result of impressive commonality. Almost all citrus has the rare genetic combination of being sexually compatible and highly prone to mutation. Such traits allow their genes to mix, for thousands of years on their own, and eventually, at the hands of humans. The product of so much natural crossing in the wild and selective breeding at research farms and in fields is every orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit you’ve ever eaten.

MONICA SERRANO, NGM STAFF. SOURCE: DAVID KARP, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

No other fruit genus can boast such pedigree, and new research is bringing clarity to the origin of citrus. Grapefruits are a human discovery, less than 300 years old. But citrus itself is ancient. Fossilized leaves discovered in China’s Yunnan Province in 2009 and 2011 suggest citrus has existed since the late Miocene epoch, as many as seven million years ago. Humans, however, have brought a great winnowing: Out of thousands of wild types, only a few dozen have become commercial behemoths like the navel orange, Eureka lemon, and Mexican lime. They’re the citrus one percent.

The scientists who study citrus love it for its appeal, its mystery, and its drama. “There’s something fascinating, freaky, even sexy about citrus,” says pomologist David Karp, whose research informs the above illustration. A bacterial disease called huanglongbing (a.k.a. citrus greening) that causes plants to defoliate, decay, and eventually die, is threatening commercial production on every arable continent, including North America, where the disease arrived in 2005. Yet a fruit group of such illustrious history won't be exterminated so easily. The future is likely to bring more types of citrus, not fewer. “Citrus is competitive,” says citrus breeder and geneticist Fred Gmitter, explaining how global researchers race to develop, say, mandarin oranges that are sweeter, seedless, and easier to peel. “In the near future, you’ll see a lot of outside-the-box new stuff.” And, an ever-expanding family tree.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/02/explore-food-citrus-genetics/

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Lemon: The quintessential cancer destroyer and all-around health tonic

By Carolanne Wright



After the excesses of the holiday season, the unassuming lemon can offer much needed relief for an overtaxed body. Jammed packed with nutrients, this upbeat fruit is a cost-effective way to trim down, detoxify and boost vitality. Lemons also conceal a little known health secret - that is, by enjoying the entire fruit (juice, rind, pith and seeds), we can strongly discourage cancer, bone loss, hypertension and more.

Inexpensive gateway to health

Many are familiar with the famous lemon detox diet and have reaped the benefits of the protocol, such as glowing skin, better digestion and a slimmer body. However, few are aware that lemons are also an exceptionally potent treatment for thrush, parasites and calcium stones in the urinary tract.

A study in the International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology found lemon juice was more effective in healing oral thrush in HIV patients than the standard remedy of gentian violet. And researchers at Bakirkoy Research and Training Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey discovered lemons are a viable alternative to potassium citrate in the treatment of urinary calcium stones. Traditionally, lemon peel oil has been used to discourage intestinal parasites, while the vitamin C-rich juice and rind help to increase bone mineral density.

What's more, Dr. Chakravarty, chief science officer and member of the Hope4Cancer executive team, notes that lemons:

Regulate blood pressure
Treat acne
Alleviate depression, stress and anxiety
Possess antibacterial and antiviral properties

Don't trash the peel

Before tossing the lemon peel once the juice has been extracted, consider this: the rind contains up to 10 times the vitamins and bioactive compounds of the juice itself. The peel also impedes tumor proliferation according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Likewise, research in the journal of Nutrition and Cancer found a striking reduction of squamous cell carcinoma in those who ingested citrus peel, compared to participants who only consumed the juice. The team believes these findings are due to the concentration of d-limonene oil in citrus fruit rinds - a known inhibitor of breast, lung and colon cancers.

http://www.naturalnews.com/043671_lemon_rind_cancer_cures.html#ixzz36RQC4ZSU

19 Super Foods To Naturally Cleanse Your Liver.

by Claude Butler - Jun 30, 2014

Why does the liver need a detox?

The necessity for detoxification or detox, comes from the concern that toxins are constantly bombarding and accumulating in our bodies. Toxins are chemicals with potentially harmful effects. While some toxins are more obvious, such as pesticides or environmental impurities, others are by-products of processed foods and some that the body produces but fails to effectively expel.

Problems with a Detox Diet:

Detox diets force you to temporarily give up certain kinds of foods and then to gradually reintroduce the them back slowly, while staying away from the unhealthy ones.  Symptoms may improve with a detox diet, but there is no evidence that this is due to clearing toxins from the body. Instead, improvements may result from what is and is not eaten and drunk on these diets.

Most natural liver detox diets lack science to support them. Any weight loss is usually from fluid and muscle loss and lasts while you are on it. Most people quickly regain weight once they go off the diet. Worse, especially if used long term, detox diets can cause harm.

Natural Foods better than any detox diet:

As it turns out, a balanced, proper diet may be more helpful than a detox diet. Our livers act as our body’s own personal vacuum as it sucks toxins present in the bloodstream, trigger and support healthy digestive functions through the bile and converts and distributes nutrients from the foods we eat.

Here’s our recommendation of natural foods that you can adopt in your current diet without the need to starve and will support healthy liver functions much longer than any diet:

DETOX YOUR LIVER WITH 19 SUPER FOODS:

1. Beets and Carrots:  Carrots are rich in Glutathione, a protein that helps detoxify the liver. Both are extremely high in plant-flavonoids and beta-carotene; eating beets and carrots can help stimulate andimprove overall liver function.
2. Tomatoes: They have abundant amounts of Glutathione that is a great detoxifier of the liver. As a side effect Lycopene in tomatoes will protect against breast, skin and lung cancer.
3. Grapefruit: Another source of liver cleansing glutathione is grapefruit. Also high vitamin C and antioxidants, boosts production of the liver detoxification enzymes and increases the natural cleansing processes that help flush out carcinogens and other toxins of the liver.
4. Spinach:  Raw Spinach is a major source of glutathione that triggers toxin cleansing enzymes of the liver.
5. Citrus Fruits: Lemons and Lime contain very high amounts of vitamin C, helps stimulate the liver and aids the synthesizing of toxic materials into substances that can be absorbed by water.
6. Cabbage: The isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from cabbage’s glucosinolates provides liver detoxifying enzymes that help flush out toxins.
7. Turmeric: Turmeric is the liver’s favorite spice and helps boost liver detox, by assisting enzymes that actively flush out dietary carcinogens.
8. Walnuts: Walnuts are a good source of glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, and amino acid arginine, which support the normal liver cleansing actions, especially in detoxifying ammonia.
9. Avocados: The nutrient-dense super-food, avocado helps the body produce glutathione- compound that is necessary for the liver to cleanse harmful toxins.
10. Apples: They are high in pectin and other chemicals essential to cleanse and release toxins from the digestive tract. Apples make it easier for the liver to handle the toxic load during the cleansing process.
11. Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are high in sulfur and antioxidant glucosinolate, which forces the liver to release enzymes that block damage from environmental or dietary toxins.
12. Garlic: Garlic is loaded with sulfur that activates liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of allicin and selenium, two natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.
13. Dandelion: Dandelion root tea assists the liver in breaking down fats, producing amino acids and generally ridding it off toxins.
14. Leafy Green Vegetables: Green Veggies are extremely high in plant chlorophylls that absorb environmental toxins, increase bile production, neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides, lowering the burden on the liver.
15. Cruciferous Vegetables: Eating broccoli and cauliflower will increase production of enzymes glucosinolate in your system that help flush out carcinogens, and other toxins.
16. Asparagus: Asparagus is a great diuretic helping in the cleansing process and sharing the detox load of the liver and kidneys.
17. Green Tea: Green tea is full of plant antioxidants known as catechins, a compound known to assist liver function.
18. Olive Oil: Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp and flax-seed are great support for the liver, providing the body with a lipid base that can suck up harmful toxins in the body.
19. Alternative Grains: Gluten rich grains wheat, flour, or other whole grains increase the load on the liver’s detox function and enzyme production. Switch to alternative grains like quinoa, millet, and buckwheat in your diet..http://www.curejoy.com/content/19-super-foods-to-naturally-cleanse-your-liver/