Category Archives: Plant Foods

Serotonin in Plants

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Robert Barrington

Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter in humans and animals, and it is thought to have particular functions that relate to mood. It is found in the central and peripheral nervous system, with large amounts of serotonin being synthesised in parts … Continue reading →

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Edible Flowers

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Robert Barrington

Flower petals are brightly coloured as the purpose of the petals is to attract insects that can pollinate the plant. The plant uses a variety of phytochemicals to colour its petals and some of these have interesting nutritional properties. Two … Continue reading →

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Why Is It Important To Eat Your Greens?

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Robert Barrington

Greens refer generally to green leafy vegetables, but some definitions of greens extend to non leafy vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. Greens are an important component of a healthy diet because they contain a range of nutrients, many of … Continue reading →

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Why Would Herbs Provide Useful Substances to Animals?

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Robert Barrington

From a philosophical viewpoint, the synthesis of substances by plants and their transfer to animals is interesting. Clearly the substances produced by plants mostly provide some benefit to the plant. However, in some cases the plant will synthesise chemicals, such … Continue reading →

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Symbiotic Relationships: Plants and Animals

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Robert Barrington

Symbiotic relationships in nature are those where one organism relies on another, and vice versa. A good example is the beneficial gut bacteria that inhabit the guts of most animals and humans. These bacteria are provided a home and food, … Continue reading →

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Plant Based Diet: Too Little of a Good Thing

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Robert Barrington

Plant based diets have been shown to have significant health benefits. Notice that the reference is to plants based diets not vegetarian diets. Eating meat can be healthy as meat contains a number of nutrients not readily available elsewhere including … Continue reading →

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The Main Benefits of Plant Foods

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Robert Barrington

Plant foods are good for health for a number of reasons. Here are the main advantages of eating plant foods as part of a healthy balanced diet.  Fibre Plant foods contain a range of different soluble and insoluble fibres. These … Continue reading →

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