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Fall Fruit Salad

Serves 6 / Grab them while you can; pomegranates’ peak season lasts only a few weeks. Picked ripe, the glossy red rind should be tight, smooth, and unbruised.

3 medium star fruit, sliced 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick

4 medium Mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned

3 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Agave-Lime Dressing
1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup light agave nectar (can substitute honey)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Prepare dressing in a tightly covered container and shake.
2. Mix star fruit, Mandarin oranges, and kiwi. Toss with dressing. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

PER SERVING: 96 cal, 5% fat cal, 1g fat, 0g sat fat, 0mg chol, 1g protein, 24g carb, 3g fiber, 4mg sodium

FUNctional Kitchen is provided by James Rouse, ND, the creator of Optimum Wellness and The Fit Kitchen, seen weekly on NBC’s KUSA television news.

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A sweet leaf with health benefits

Q: I recently heard about the Chinese herb luo han kuo being used as an immune booster. What other benefits might this herb offer?

Luo han kuo (Momordica grosvenori, LHK) has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for at least 1,000 years to strengthen the immune system and treat respiratory problems-and with good reason. Researchers from the Yamagata University School of Medicine in Japan found in 2002 that LHK is rich in immune-boosting antioxidants. Because these antioxidants also fight free radical damage, other studies have concluded that LHK may help lower cholesterol by preventing LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation.

But the Chinese don’t simply see LHK as a medicine. The herb is naturally sweet -up to 200 times sweeter than sugar-yet it doesn’t have the negative metabolic effects of sugar. Because it is low on the glycemic index and low in calories, LHK is gaining the attention of American food companies as a possible sugar substitute for both diabetics and dieters. That doesn’t surprise William Young, LAc, PhD, founder of Young Life Holistic Healing in Flushing, New York, and an expert in TCM, who says that Chinese bakers often use LHK instead of sugar in cookies and cakes.

More recently, scientists have focused on LHK’s anti-cancer properties. Several preliminary studies show that the glycosides responsible for the herb’s sweetness also appear to inhibit tumor formation. Although it’s too early to tell if this protective action will work in people at risk for cancer, LHK may indeed help you breathe easier this cold and flu season. Available as a tea or processed into bouillon-type cubes and granules, LHK can be found in most natural products stores.

This Q&A was written by Kim Erickson, an herbalist, health writer, and the author of Drop-Dead Gorgeous (Contemporary, 2002).

Delicious Living experts welcome your questions. Send them to DL E-News at deliciousliving@newhope.com.

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