Fruits that heal ...
Corn
Corn
Lower cholesterol, Boost energy levels
Corn contains a type of dietary fiber called soluble fiber. When you eat
corn, this fiber binds with bile, a cholesterol- laden digestive fluid produced
by the liver. Since soluble fiber isn't readily absorbed by the body, it passes
out of the body, taking cholesterol with it.
We all heard a lot about how oat and wheat bran can lower cholesterol.
Corn bran is in the same league. In a study at Illinois State University in
Normal, researchers put 290 men with high cholesterol on low-fat diets. After
two weeks on the diet, some of the men were each given 20 grams ( almost ½
tablespoon) of corn bran a day, while others received similar amount of wheat
bran. During the six-week study, those on the corn bran plan had a drop in
cholesterol of more than 5 % and about a 13% drop in triglycerides, blood fats
that in large amounts can contribute to heart disease. Those who were given
wheat bran showed no change beyond the initial drop caused by being on a
low-fat diet.
The beauty of corn is that it provides a lot of energy while delivering a
small amount of calories. Corn is an excellent source of thiamin, a B vitamin
that's essential for converting food to energy. An ear of corn provides 0.2
milligram of thiamin, 13 % of Daily Value.
And since fresh sweet corn consists primarily of simple and complex
carbohydrates, it's a superb energy source. It fulfills our energy needs
without providing us with substantial amount of fat. What little fats there are
in corn are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated kinds, which are far
healthier than the saturated fats.
Not all corn is created equal. Whereas yellow corn has more than 2 grams
of fiber per serving, white corn more than doubles that, with a bit more than 4
grams per ear. When you buy corn, look for ears that have full, plump kernels
and purchase it at the optimum stage of maturity. Under those conditions, the
level of nutrients is higher.
Lemons and Limes
Lemons and Limes
Heal cuts and bruises, Prevent cancer and heart disease
You may not like tartness of lemons and limes, but back in the nineteen
century people literally craved them, not for the tart taste but for remarkable
health benefits these colorful fruits contain.
British sailors, for example, who typically spent months at sea without
fresh fruits or vegetables, would drink lime juice to prevent scurvy, a
terrible disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. And in California during the
Gold Rush, when fruits were equally scarce, miners paid top dollar for lemons.
Of all nutrients we're most familiar with, vitamin C is perhaps the most
impressive. During cold season it's always in demand, since it lowers levels if
histamine, a naturally occurring chemical that can cause red eyes and runny
noses. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, meaning that it helps disarm
powerful oxygen molecules in the body that contribute to cancer and heart
disease. The body also uses vitamin C to manufacture collagen, the staff that
glues cells together and is needed to help heal cuts and wounds.
The pulp and juice from lemons and limes are rich sources of vitamin C. A
large lemon, for example contains about 45 milligrams of vitamin C, limes are
also good, with s small lime containing about 20 milligrams of vitamin C.
There is more to lemons and limes than just vitamin C. These citrus
fruits also contain additional compounds such as limonin and limonene, which
help to block some of the cellular changes that can lead to cancer.
Limonene, which is found mainly in the colorful skin, or zest, of the
fruit, has been shown to increase the activity of proteins that help eliminate
estradiol, a naturally occurring hormone that has been linked with breast
cancer. Limonene has also been shown to increase the level of enzymes in the
liver that can remove cancer-causing chemicals.
Some innovative organic food companies add citrus zest to baking flower
to provide added health benefits.
Whether you're making a lemon meringue pie or simply adding flavor to
store-bought lemon yogurt, be sure to add plenty of zest. The healing compound
limonene makes up about 65% of oils in the peel. While fresh citrus peel
contains the most healing compounds, dried lemon peel isn't bad and you can
find dried lemon peel in the spice rack at the supermarket.
Avocado
Avocado
Control cholesterol, Lower blood pressure, Prevent birth defects
Avocado has more calories than almost any fruit on the planet – 731!
Its also has the dubious distinction of being one of the few fruits with a
measurable fat content, with up to 30 grams each. That's the daily recommended
amount for an average adult.
You wouldn't think that a food that's so fattening could be good for you.
But the word from dietitians, who say that adding a little avocado to your diet
every day could actually improve your health.
Avocados are great source of folate and potassium. They also contain high
amount of fiber and monounsaturated fat, both of which are good news for people
who are concerned with diabetes or heart health.
People with diabetes have traditionally been told to eat more
carbohydrates and cut back on fat. Overall that's good advice, but it's not
necessarily the best advice for everyone.
Doctors have discovered that when some people who have diabetes eat a lot
of carbohydrates, they tend to develop high levels of triglycerides, a type of
blood fat that may contribute to heart disease. Surprisingly, when people
replace some of those carbohydrates with fat, particularly the kind of fat
found in avocados, the dangerous fats in the bloodstream tend to decline.
Avocados are rich source of monounsaturated fats, particularly a kind
called oleic acid, and these monounsaturated fats improve fat levels in the
body and help control diabetes.
In one study, scientists put 160 women with diabetes on a relatively
high-fat diet, with about 40% of calories coming from fat. Most of the fat came
from avocados. The result was a 20% drop in triglycerides. Women on a
higher-carbohydrate plan, by contrast, had only 7% drop in triglycerides.
What's nice about avocados is that they provide a lot of these
monounsaturated fats. Someone on a 2,000-calorie- a-day diet, for example,
might be advised to eat 33 grams of monounsaturated fat. You can get about 20
grams from just one avocado.
People with diabetes aren't the only ones who benefit from eating a
little more avocados. The oleic acid in avocados can also help people lower
their cholesterol.
In a small study from Mexico, where guacamole is considered almost a food
group, researchers compared the effects of two low-fat diets. The diets were
the same except that one included avocados. While both lowered levels of
dangerous, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the avocado diet raised levels
of healthful high-density lipoprotein cholesterol while lowering triglycerides.
Avocados have large levels of potassium, half of avocado provides 548
milligrams of potassium, 16% of the Daily Value. That's 15% more than you'd get
in a medium banana. You can never get too much potassium – even small
additions can make bid difference to your hearth's health.
Avocados one of the perfect foods when you're eating for two,
particularly when it comes to getting enough folate, a nutrient that helps
prevent life-threatening birth defects of the brain and spine. Many women don't
get enough folate in their diets, but avocados can go a long way towards fixing
that. Half an avocado contains 57 milligrams of folate, 14% of the Daily Value.
Moms-to-be aren't the only ones who should be dipping their chips in
guacamole, though. Everyone needs folate. Its' an essential nutrient for
keeping nerves functioning properly. It also help fight hearth disease.
Parsnips
Parsnips
Prevent colon cancer, Lower the risk of heart disease, Stabilize blood
sugar levels, Decrease the risk of stoke
Parsnips are strong-testing, oddly sweet vegetables that don't usually
win any awards for Best-Looking Vegetable in Show. They look like carrots that
have seen a ghost.
But despite parsnips' strong flavor and pale appearance, their
nutritional profile is quite attractive. A member of the parsley family,
parsnips are good sources of folate, fiber, and phenolic acids, which have been
shown in studies to help block cancer.
Dietary fiber is on the top of all healing substances and parsnips are an
excellent source. A little more than half of the fiber in parsnips is the
soluble kind, which means that it becomes gel-like in the digestive system.
This helps block the intestine from absorbing fats and cholesterol from foods.
At the same time, it dilutes bile acids in the intestine, which can prevent
them from causing cancer.
Soluble fiber has shown impressive ability to relieve or prevent many
other conditions as well. Researchers have found that getting enough of soluble
fiber in the diet can prevent many intestinal conditions and also can curb the
blood sugar swings that occur with diabetes.
Some nutrition experts say that too little folate is our number one
nutritional deficiency, particularly among younger folks, who often eat large
amounts of fast food that largely devoid of vitamins. Parsnips are a good
source of folate, with 1 cup containing 91 milligrams, 23% of DV.
Getting enough folate has been shown to prevent certain birth defects.
It's also strongly suspected of reducing the risk of stroke. Folate decreases
blood levels of homocysteine, a chemical that may jam the arteries and stop
blood flow.
Obviously, unless you truly have a passion for parsnips, it's unlikely
that you'll ever eat three or more servings a day. But eating jus a half-cup
will provide not only fiber and folate but also 280 milligrams of potassium,
this will go a long way toward keeping your arteries clear.
Along with carrots and celery, parsnips are members of the umbelliferae
family. Foods in this family contain a number of natural compounds called
phytonutrients, which have been shown in many studies to block the spread of
cancer cells. Chief among these compounds called phenolic acids. What phenolic
acids do is attach themselves to potential cancer-causing agents in the body,
creating bigger molecule – so big that the body can't absorb it.
Research has shown that members of umbelliferae family can also fight
cancer by inhibiting tumor growth.
Before storing parsnips in the refrigerator, snip the greens from the
top, otherwise, the greens will draw moisture and nutrients from the root
itself.
Some of the nutrients in parsnips are water-soluble and are quickly lost
during cooking. Its better to cook them unpeeled. Once they tender, let them
cook, then scrap or peel the skin away.
Tangerines
Tangerines
Prevent heart disease, Reduce the risk of cancer
At some time in the past, you've probably used canned mandarin oranges
– tiny sections of orange fruit that look precious and perfect. Mandarin
oranges are really small tangerines, or to be more precise, tangerines are
really mandarin oranges, since tangerine isn't a formal botanical term. So
mandarin oranges – I'll still call them tangerines – are actually not that
exotic.
But their benefits are anything but commonplace. Tangerines contain quite
a large amount of healing compounds. Like oranges, they are rich in vitamin C.
One tangerine has 26 milligrams, 43% of Daily Value (DV). Tangerines also
contain compound called beta-cryptoxanthin, which turns into vitamin A in the
body. Eight ounces of tangerine juice can provide up to 1,037 international
units of vitamin A, more than 20% of the DV.
This combination is important, since both vitamins are antioxidants –
they can help stop harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals from causing
cell damage in the body that can lead to everything from wrinkles and heart
disease to cancer.
What makes tangerines really exciting to researchers are two compounds,
tangeretin and nobiletin, which appear to be extremely potent against certain
types of breast cancer. Researchers at the University of Western Ontario
inLondon, Canada, found that each of these compounds was 250 times more potent
against one type of human breast cancer cell than genistein, a powerful
anti-cancer compound found in soy. When these compounds were combined, they
were even more powerful, the researchers found.
Recently, in Japan, researchers at the Tokyo College of Pharmacy found
that tangeretin could inhibit the growth of leukemia cells, essentially by
causing them to program their own deaths. They also found the compound wasn't
toxic to healthy cells, which is an important goal for any cancer treatment. We
need more research into healing power and benefits of Tangerines and no doubt,
we will see more research done in the near future.
While the flesh of tangerines contains great share of healing compounds,
most of the tangeretin and nobiletin are concentrated in the rind. To add more
of these to your diet, use zester to remove strips of the outer rind, then stir
them into glass of juice, mix them into rice and pasta dishes, or sprinkle them
on salads. You will get extra-zingy flavor along with extra benefits.
Raisins
Raisins
Improve digestion, Lower blood pressure, Keep blood healthy
Raisins may not be much to look at, but they do have quite a history.
Prehistoric cave dwellers attributed religious powers to them. They made raisin
necklaces and decorations and drew pictures of raisins on cave walls. As early
as 1000 B.C., the Israelites used them to pay taxes!
These days raisins occupy a much humbler place in society, but they just
as useful as ever. Backpackers and hikers appreciate raisins for being
high-energy, low-fat, very convenient snack. They fit easily in a lunch box,
they almost never go bad, even if they're in a pantry for a long time.
Raisins offer more than just convenience. Recent studies suggest that
they can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and even play a role in
keeping digestion and blood healthy.
If you have high blood pressure – or even if you don't, but you want to
make sure your pressure stays in a healthy range- raisins are one of the best
snacks you can buy. They are good source of potassium, a mineral that has been
shown to lower high blood pressure.
In one study, researchers at John Hopkins Medical Institution in
Baltimore gave men either potassium supplements or blank pills. Those who were
given potassium saw their systolic pressure (the higher number) drop 7 points,
while their diastolic pressure went down 3 points. Just ¼ cup of raisins
contains 272 milligrams of potassium, 10% of the Daily Value. The researchers
concluded that people, especially over the age of 40, ought to be consuming a
fair amount of foods, such as raisins that contain high levels of potassium.
When we think of iron-rich foods, things such as red meat and liver
usually come to mind. But raisins may be a better source of iron, particularly
for people who eat little or no meat. Iron is essential for the creation of
hemoglobin in red blood cells, which the body uses to transport oxygen. A
quarter-cup of raisins has 0.8 milligram of iron, which is more than 8% of the
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men and 5% of the RDA for women.
Like other dried fruits, raisins also a good source of dietary fiber,
with nearly 2 grams of fiber in ¼ cup. Not only does fiber play role in
helping to prevent everyday problems such as constipation but its also lowers
cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
Few years ago, researchers at the Health Research and Studies Centre in
Los Altos, California, asked people with high cholesterol levels to eat 3
ounces of raisins (a little more than a half-cup) a day as part of a
high-fiber, low-fat diet. After a month, the participant' s total cholesterol
dropped an average of more than 8 percent, while their harmful low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol levels dropped 15%.
There is very little nutritional difference between black and golden
raisins. The black variety has more thiamin, while the golden seedless type has
a bit more vitamin B6. The main difference between them is the way they are
dried.
Black, or sun-dried raisins are actually dried in the sun. This is what
gives them their dark, shriveled look.
Golden seedless raisins are dried by exposing them to the fumes of
burning sulfur in a closed chamber, which gives them their golden hue. In
mid-1980's researchers discovered that some people are sensitive to sulfites
compounds and can get an allergic-type reactions when exposed to them If you
are sulfite-sensitive, you should stay clear of golden seedless raisins and
favor sun-dried varieties.
Raisins contain a type of iron called nonheme iron, which is harder for
the body to absorb than the heme iron found in meats. Eating raisins along with
foods high in vitamin C, however, will help improve absorption of nonheme iron.
To get the most raisins in your diet, it is often recommended buying
snack-size packs. Due to their small size and the fact that raisins almost
never go bad, they're perfect for keeping them in your purse, glove
compartment, or desk drawer and eating whenever you are in the mood for a quick
snack.
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