INSTRUCTIONS:

• Blend the oats in Vitamix (food processor should work too) until you get a fine consistency-like flour.

• Add the dried mulberries, pulse a few times to break them up, then add carrots, vanilla and spices.

• Slowly add in the dates and water. If you're patient (unlike me!) you can soak the dates ahead of time for easier blending!

• Roll the dough into balls and cover in shredded coconut if so desired. Lightly dampen your hands to make it easier to handle the dough as it is very sticky!

• Freeze for 2 hours and enjoy!

 

1. We are fortunate to have the results of a new 10-year study from the Netherlands about carrot intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)—and the results are fascinating. Intake of fruits and vegetables in the study was categorized by color and focused on 4 color categories: green, orange/yellow, red/purple, and white. Out of these four categories, orange/yellow (and in particular, foods with deeper shades of orange and yellow) emerged as most protective against CVD. Even more striking, carrots were determined to be the most prominent member of this dark orange/yellow food category.

2. Participants with the least carrot intake had the least amount of CVD risk reduction, even though they still received benefits from their carrot intake. However, participants who ate at least 25 more grams of carrots (with 25 grams being less than one-quarter of a cup) had a significantly lower risk of CVD. And the participants who ate 50 or 75 grams more had an even greater reduced risk of CVD! We're not sure how any study can better demonstrate how easy it is to lower our disease risk by simply making a food like the carrot part of our everyday diet.

3. Up until now, much of the research on carrots traditionally focused on the ‘carotenoids’ and their important anti-oxidant benefits. After all, carrots (along with pumpkin and spinach) rank high on the list of anti-oxidant vegetables commonly consumed in the U.S. for their beta-carotene content. But recent research has the health spotlight on another category of phytonutrients in carrots called ‘polyacetylenes.’ In carrots, the most important polyacetylenes include ‘falcarinol’ and ‘falcarindiol.’ Several recent studies have identified these carrot polyacetylenes as phytonutrients that can inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells, especially when these polyacetylenes are found in their reduced (versus oxidized) form. These new findings are exciting because they suggest a key interaction between the carotenoids and polyacetylenes in carrots. Apparently, the rich carotenoid content of carrots not only helps prevent oxidative damage inside our body, but it may also help prevent oxidative damage to the carrot’s polyacetylenes. In other words, these two amazing groups of phytonutrients found in carrots may work together in a synergistic way to maximize our health benefits!