Watermelon is delicious and healthy

Watermelon is a valuable source of lycopene, one of the carotenoids that have actually been studied in humans. Research indicates that lycopene is helpful in reducing the risk of prostate, breast, and endometrial cancers, as well as lung and colon cancer.

Health Benefits of Watermelon:

Energy Production

Watermelon is concentrated with b-vitamins. B-vitamins are responsible for alot of your body’s energy production. This means eating watermelon can give you substantial energy. It also has high amounts of the the energizing nutrients magnesium and potassium. Eating watermelon is a safe alternative to taking energy drinks prior to exercise. It also hydrates you due to its high water content as opposed to caffeine filled energy drinks that dehydrate you.

Antioxidants

Watermelon is a natural source of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. It is a good source of the antioxidant vitamins C and A. It is also a good source of the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene. Watermelon’s antioxidants can help prevent a number of things. It reduces the risk of colon cancer, asthma, heart disease, osteoperosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate cancer.

Antioxidannts should be a staple in everyone’s diet. They provide health benefits that other nutrients cannot. When it comes to things that are benefiticial to your health antioxidants are at the top of the list. They are better than vitamins, minerals, protein, carbs, and any other nutrient because they have so many benefits. If you do not take some sort of antioxidant whether it be through food or something else you should consider incoporating a food that contains antioxidants or supplement with them. You can buy all sorts of antioxiant drinks. This is one of the biggest health benefits of watermelon. Read more

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) Exotic Tropical Fruit

RAMBUTAN (Nephelium lappaceum) originates from Malaysia and Sumatra. Rambutans are grown in Thailand as well as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia. Sometimes known as Hairy Lychees comes from the Malay word “rambout” meaning hairy. Rambutans grow in clusters on evergreen trees, and are hairy-looking exotic wonders.

Colour: Vivid red or variegated coloured fruit covered in soft spines. A yellow variety is also available. The flesh is usually transparent or white in colour and contains one seed.

Taste: Sweet flesh with a mild acid flavour, which is very refreshing.

Buying Tips: Rambutans can be purchased in North America at Asian markets and Asian/Chinese food stores – look for them in the produce section. Look for a firm brightly-coloured fruit that shows no signs of bruising. Its spines should be firm, without being brittle. Dehydration and rough handling will result in blackened spines, however the fruit is generally OK to eat. Don’t buy rambutans that have turned black or have a lot of black “hairs”, as this indicates they are over-ripe. Fresh fruit can be refrigerated wrapped in plastic for five to seven days and may be kept at room temperatures for two or three days.

Serving: Rambutans are best eaten fresh. Read more

Strategy sustainable agriculture development

Agriculture in Indonesia is characterized by worries over the shift from subsistence production to market-oriented production. This transformation was once embraced as one of the requirements for increasing productivity.

Although improving the availability of crops to the majority of people working in other sectors, this transformation is affecting the agricultural sector. It did not eliminate unbalanced and discriminatory market structures and it lowered the costs of commodities, thereby forcing market-oriented farmers to be worse off than subsistence farmers, who are more dependent on environmental conditions.

A strategy to develop sustainable development is a shift toward synergizing the different goals of protecting crops, safeguarding income and developing sustainable agriculture. They should be incorporated in national development goals and agricultural promotion efforts. Read more