A very unique film on how to restore soil health.

This is our full interview with Dr. Roberts-Nkrumah, The Department Of Food Production, University Of The West Indies. ▼PRESS: http://www.guardian.co.tt/life....style/2015-11-11/pla https://www.instagram.com/eatahfoodtt▼FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/eatahfood▼TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/eatahfood

Why are tropical fruits important to our diet in Trinidad & Tobago?

Dr. Laura Roberts-Nkrumah gives us key insight into why it is important for us to include more tropical fruits in our everyday diet. Dr. Roberts-Nkrumah also expressed a need for increased awareness and education in schools and community engagement in promoting more consumption of our local fruits like West Indian Cherries, Five Fingers or Carambola, Pommecythere, Pommerac and Mangoes to name a few.

#fruits #caribbean #tropical

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7 Impressive Benefits of Baobab

A few of the most important health benefits of baobab include its ability to boost the immune system, build bone strength, soothe the gastrointestinal system, prevent chronic disease, lower inflammation, reduce blood pressure, and stimulate growth and repair.

Baobab Trees

Some of the oldest and most majestic trees in the world fall into a very special genus named Adansonia, more commonly known as baobab trees. While there are nine different species of these trees scattered across Madagascar, Africa, Australia, and other parts of South Asia, they are all closely related and share very similar characteristics. They are massive angiosperm trees, with radii exceeding 150 feet and at times, standing more than 50 feet in height. The baobab fruit, however, often gets less attention than it should, as this fruit has been considered a superfruit by some cultures for generations. The popularity of baobab fruit and its constituent powder has grown in recent years, due to the high concentrations of nutrients and minerals that it contains.

The baobab powder may be consumed as a supplement, but is also used as a thickener in certain culinary preparations, while the leaves, which are also quite nutrient-rich, are considered a leafy vegetable and are sometimes harvested for their essential oils. Baobab fruit is roughly 3 lbs and resembled a coconut, with a tart taste. This has made it popular as a natural food product for thousands of years. That being said, let’s take a closer look at some of the many known medical uses and health benefits of baobab.
Health Benefits of Baobab
Improves Circulatory Health

One of the reasons baobab has been dubbed a superfruit is due to its concentration of certain minerals, including iron. This mineral is a key component in hemoglobin, which transports oxygenated blood throughout our body. This can prevent anemia and provide us with a major energy boost, so baobab fruit in any form can be enjoyed for a quick pick me up!
Lowers Blood Pressure

Potassium is another important mineral constituent of baobab fruit, which is known to be beneficial for heart health. As a vasodilator, potassium is able to ease the strain on the cardiovascular system by dilating the blood vessels and arteries, thus increasing blood flow and keeping the heart from working too hard. Lowering blood pressure can also help fight against atherosclerosis, strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular complications.

Increases Bone Strength

The dried powder of baobab fruit is particularly concentrated with minerals, and two of these, calcium and magnesium, are important minerals for bone strength. If you are worried about bone mineral density loss as you age, or are already suffering from some of the effects of age-related degradation, adding a baobab supplement to your health regimen is never a bad idea to keep your bones strong and durable into your old age!
Relieves Gastrointestinal Issues

Two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, are present in baobab, which is why this fruit has been trusted as a gastrointestinal aid for generations. These types of dietary fiber can do wonders for the system; in addition to optimizing the digestive process and reducing inflammation in the gut, dietary fiber also helps to regulate glucose and insulin levels in the blood, and even lowers negative cholesterol, thus boosting heart health! There are also certain prebiotic properties of baobab fruit that can improve the bacteria levels in your gut and optimize digestion.
Treats Chronic Diseases

Antioxidants have been a recent buzzword in natural health, and baobab fruit is packed with these free radical-neutralizing compounds. Antioxidant levels can be measured based on the amount of oxygen radicals a fruit or food is able to absorb, and baobab does very well in an ORAC test (measuring antioxidant strength). This means that baobab is able to help prevent a wide range of chronic diseases, including some forms of cancer that develop when free radicals cause healthy cells to mutate.
Boosts Immunity

Vitamin C is always one of the first compounds noted in a newly discovered fruit, and the immune system-boosting potential of this ancient fruit is definitely a result of the high ascorbic content. Baobab is good for increasing white blood cell count and stimulating the immune system to fight off foreign pathogens, in addition to vitamin C’s antioxidant behavior.

Promotes Growth and Repair

Vitamin C is also a key component of collagen, which we need for the repair and growth of tissues, cells, blood vessels, cartilage, and bone. High levels of ascorbic acid don’t just protect our immune system, but also ensure normal development and appropriate healing times after injuries, illnesses, and surgeries.

The fruit of the baobab tree has been eaten for centuries in Africa, but has only recently gained the coveted status of superfood due to its high content of vitamins and nutrients. In Kenya, it has become an economic force to be reckoned with.
For a related story, go to: http://p.dw.com/p/2azDo

The role of the thorny acacia tree in the survival of wildlife in Tanzania's arid Serengeti Plain. The flat-topped trees help sustain bush elephants, giraffes, impalas, weaver and secretary birds, and a variety of insects.

One of the most amazing stories in the natural world -- a tale of intrigue and drama, set against grand Africa and its wildlife.

The fig tree and fig wasp differ in size a billion times over, but neither could exist without the other. Their extraordinary relationship underpins a complex web of dependency that supports animals from ants to elephants. Each fig is a microcosm -- a stage set for birth, sex and death.
One of the most amazing stories in the natural world -- a tale of intrigue and drama, set against grand Africa and its wildlife.

"Truly, a masterpiece" - David Attenborough

They hover over ponds and pools and inhabit the banks of rivers and streams. With their dazzling metallic colours and unique ways of flying they are truly jewels of the air. This film presents dragonflies as they have never been seen before. Fascinating close up shots take us into the world of these insects, which have lived on earth since the age of the dinosaurs. Spectacular super slow motion shots and elaborate computer animation uncover, for the first time, how dragonflies capture their prey at lightning speed while flying and how they mate in the air. Underwater photography reveals the development of the predatory dragonfly larvae while time lapse sequences show the emergence of the fully grown insect. However these amazingly colourful flying acrobats are in danger. The dragonfly's preferred habitat in and around water is rapidly diminishing, which, in Europe alone, has pushed around 80 species to the brink of extinction.

⁣Incredible Insects

They cannot tolerate sunlight; some of them are even blind. However they are one of the world’s most ingenious builders: Termites. They build high-risers without any technical devices that are, compared to the Empire State Building in New York, 25 times higher. They are the only animals that have managed to build an air-conditioning system without electricity. Their nests are architectural masterpieces that rise up to eight meters from the ground and dispose brood chambers for larvae, corridors for transportation, fungal gardens for nutrition and even emergency exits for hostile attacks.