Drinking eight ounces of mandarin orange juice a day might have the ability to decrease the risk of developing liver cancer, according to researchers in Japan.

Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine researchers conducted a small one-year study involving participants with chronic viral hepatitis and found that none of those who drank mandarin orange juice developed liver cancer. In the group that did not drink mandarin orange juice, a small number of participants did go on to develop liver cancer. In the same study, researchers indicated that drinking mandarin orange juice might also have a positive health protective effect for atherosclerosis and insulin resistance.

Interestingly, Japanese researchers followed this inquiry after noticing that residents of a Japanese town noted for its high consumption of mandarin oranges suffered lower rates of liver disease, atherosclerosis and diabetes.

These findings, along with several others showing the health benefits of functional foods, will be presented during a four-day conference Functional Foods and Health, at the 232nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

We should all take a lesson from Popeye and eat more spinach.  It not only gives you iron for energy, it helps protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related related declines in brain function. Spinach also contains anti-inflammatory nutrients. For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, few foods compare to spinach in their number of helpful nutrients. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, the latter notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. And if all those benefits were not enough reasons to make you eat your spinach then also know that spinach lowers the risk for cancer. Spinach probably won't make you super strong the minute you eat it but it may be able to help you avoid some very serious health conditions.

Vicki's Oriental Spinach Salad
1 1/2  lbs fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 red onion sliced thin
1/2 sweet red bell pepper chopped
1 tomato sliced in wedges
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 teaspoon sugar 
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
3 tablespoons soy sauce 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Rinse and clean well the spinach and set aside to drain. In a bowl whisk together the oils, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, Dijon mustard and sesame seeds. Toss the spinach, red sweet peppers, onions, tomatoes, and almonds together in a bowl and drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad.