According to a 2015 report from a federal advisory panel on nutrition, about half of all American adults have at least one preventable, chronic disease related to diet and lack of physical activity. In addition, 37 percent of women are obese, and another 30 percent are overweight. The situation is not new. Many medical practitioners and the public at large are finally acknowledging what the natural healing community has known for ages: a good diet can not only promote health, but also prevent disease. Today it is customary to talk about how food choices affect overall well-being and help ward off heart problems, cancer, diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, depression, and myriad other ailments. Most people are also aware that a healthy diet can decrease the risk of disease by reducing predisposing conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Eating a balanced diet is the most effective way to ensure that our bodies receive the nutrients we need. Unfortunately, the typical American diet does not meet many of the requirements for good health. Part of the problem relates to the types and proportions of foods people eat. Just as important to our health is how the foods are grown and processed as they make their way to our grocery shelves and kitchen tables.
Eating properly means selecting unprocessed or minimally processed foods. You want to avoid pesticides, dyes, and wax coatings. Many of our diets need to be adjusted to include more complex carbohydrates, fewer proteins, and less fat. A wide assortment of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds supplies multiple nutrients. Sometimes supplements are necessary. Juices from watermelons, raspberries, pomegranates, and tomatoes are filled with phytochemicals that help repair DNA and prevent cancer. We should be thinking about our diets as part of our daily health routines.
Nutrition is the way the body makes use of foods to meet its needs for growth, repair, and maintenance. There are six major groups of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. You need all of these nutrients every day. How much you require depends on your health as well as your energy needs. Along with an understanding of these basic nutrients, you also need to be aware of the air you breathe, the balance of enzymes in your body, and the function of antioxidants in helping your body to combat disease and degenerative processes.
Until recently, carbohydrates have gotten bad press. This is because the highly sugared and refined carbohydrates such as candy, soft drinks, and sweetened cereals have been lumped together with the complex carbohydrates such as fruit, nutritious starchy vegetables, whole grains, and tubers. We now know that we need carbohydrates. They are the most important source of energy for all of our activities. The foods in which they are found are also important sources of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
Carbohydrates come in two forms: complex and refined. Complex carbohydrates are starches and fibers in foods such as cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and tubers. They exist in these foods just as they are found in nature, having undergone minimal or no processing.
Refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, have been tampered with in a very substantial way. “Refined” may in fact be an overly refined way of putting it. Having been processed by machinery and industry, they are merely skeletons of the complex carbohydrates found in nature. Refinement is a recent innovation in our long history of evolution, food consumption, and food delivery. When carbohydrates are refined, they are stripped of their outer shell (the bran layer that contains most of the fiber), their oil, and a B vitamin–rich germ (found at their cores). Refined carbohydrates also may be bleached, milled, baked, puffed, or otherwise processed. Refined carbohydrates may not be good for us. What’s worse, they may harm us. They contain little or no fiber, so overreliance on them as a source of energy can lead to poor intestinal health and myriad digestive disorders. Also, overconsumption of refined sugar, as discussed below, is linked to obesity, diabetes, and other blood sugar disorders.
Americans get nearly half their calories from fat. Over indulgence in fatty foods has taken its toll by contributing to weight gain as well as degeneration of the heart and blood vessels. The American Heart Association and others recommend that we reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in our diets to decrease blood cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease, and reduce the risk of certain cancers. However, we should not avoid fats completely; they are essential elements of a sound diet.
Fats contain an alcohol called glycerol and fatty acids. Certain fatty acids can be manufactured by the body. Others can only be obtained from foods. There are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are found in animal food sources such as meat and dairy products. Although needed by the body in small amounts, they have been associated with increased blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
The unsaturated fats are primarily found in grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and the oils derived from them. They provide us with the essential fatty acids that the body cannot make on its own, including the omega-6 family derived from plant oils, and the omega-3 family derived from fish oils, as well as some plants such as flaxseed. Both are important to good health. However, the standard American diet today contains too much omega-6 and too little omega-3, an imbalance that may be responsible for an increased risk of inflammation associated with heart disease, asthma, stroke, and cancer.
The unsaturated fats are further categorized as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, helps protect the heart by lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and raising “good” HDL cholesterol.
Trans fats are created by partial hydrogenation, the process by which oils are made more solid. Many types of margarine, shortening, pastries, and prepared foods contain trans fats. They have been found to increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other ailments. Following the lead of state and local governments over the past decade, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015 introduced restrictions on the use of trans fats at the national level, telling companies they will soon have to seek its permission to use the ingredient or find an alternative. Some manufacturers and restaurants have come up with healthier options to trans fats that work just as well.
Meat has become the most prominent and expensive source of protein in the average American diet. Despite the belief by many people that we should be getting our protein from meat, there are a variety of other sources, including eggs, dairy products, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. In fact, there is no need whatsoever for any animal proteins in our diets. Plant-based proteins are completely compatible with our lives. Grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds are more than adequate.
Proteins are the building blocks of life. They are the basic materials from which all our cells, tissues, and organs are constructed. The optimal intake of high-quality proteins allows the body to grow and maintain healthy bones, skin, teeth, muscles, and nerves. Protein is also an important source of energy.
Amino acids are the chief components of protein. Some amino acids can be created by the body itself. Eight amino acids cannot be created by the body, and therefore must be obtained from the diet. Known as the essential amino acids, they are threonine, valine, tryptophan, lysine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, and isoleucine. Amino acids are vital for certain vitamins and minerals to be utilized. All the necessary amino acids must be present simultaneously in sufficient amounts so that cells can make the proteins they need to grow.
The current recommendation according to the US Institute of Medicine is that adults should consume 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein. Pregnant and lactating women may need more.
Vitamins act as cofactors or catalysts in enzyme reactions throughout the body. They enable those enzyme reactions to proceed at a faster pace than they would if the vitamin was not present. Vitamins exist in one of two forms: water soluble and fat soluble. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve quickly and cannot be stored in the body. As soon as they are exposed to water or blood they dissolve and then are excreted. The fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the fatty tissues and don’t dissolve. They can accumulate in the body. They do not need to be replenished every day but can accumulate into toxic doses in the fat tissues, and are harder to get out of the body. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. All the rest are water soluble.
One-quarter to one-third of Americans currently take vitamin supplements. Thousands of different products are on the market today. Research has shown that supplements can not only help reverse nutritional deficiency, but also maintain physical as well as emotional health in many people.
Minerals serve as the building materials for bones, teeth, tissue, muscle, blood, and nerve cells. They help spur many biological reactions in the body and maintain the fragile balance of fluids. We need minute amounts of minerals. They constitute only 4 or 5 percent of our total body weight. Among the important minerals are calcium, chromium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, sodium, selenium, and zinc.
The environment from which we gain sustenance can also have an adverse effect on us. Consider the life-giving and life-supporting elements of the world around us. Although it comprises 50 to 70 percent of our body weight, water is too often overlooked or taken for granted when we consider amounts of water needed and proper balance of nutrients necessary for good health. Similarly, we must pay attention to the quality of the air we breathe and the very activity of breathing itself.
Antioxidants oppose the oxidation of substances within the body. They have been identified as important factors in helping us live longer, fight heart disease and lung problems, and combat cancer. They work, in part, by battling the degenerative processes associated with free radicals. Free radicals are the toxic agents produced by the processing of oxygen. They can damage a cell’s DNA and have been linked to certain symptoms of aging. Antioxidants protect the body by trapping free radicals and preventing the degenerative processes associated with their reactions. Vitamin E is the most common antioxidant. Vitamins A, C, and D are less powerful antioxidants, as are selenium and sulfur-containing amino acids.
According to the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which provides recommendations to the US government as it develops national nutritional policy, Americans are consuming too much sodium and saturated fats and not enough vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium. Adolescent and premenopausal women are also deficient in iron. The report suggests that American adults maintain diets that are rich in seafood and plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and nuts; moderate in lowand non-fat dairy products and alcohol; lower in red and processed meat; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and refined grains. Recommended daily goals for the general population are less than 2,300 mg dietary sodium, less than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat, and a maximum of 10 percent of total calories from added sugars. The report notes that research has shown that moderate consumption of coffee (three to five cups per day) can be included as part of a healthy diet as it is not associated with increased long-term health risks among healthy people, and has protective effects against the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Parkinson’s disease. The report also reverses previous guidance to restrict the intake of dietary cholesterol from foods like eggs and shrimp, stating that that the data does not support the link between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol in most people.
Dairy is the number one source for saturated fat in the average American diet. We’re seeing an epidemic rise in its use. Susan Levin, director of nutrition education for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, is a registered dietician who has a master’s degree in nutrition from Bastyr University. She is among the many who are concerned about the quantity and quality of dairy that we’re consuming.
“Broadly speaking, I don’t recommend the consumption of any dairy products,” she says. “I take that back to watching over all of the species on this planet and how they act and what they do. No species drinks his or her mother’s milk after weaning. It doesn’t happen because they don’t need it. Once they are strong enough to live with just consuming food products, they don’t need mother’s milk anymore.
“For some reason, our species has decided that, not only are we going to keep consuming milk, we’re going to turn to a completely different species to get it. It’s no wonder that we have so many problems. Milk is made, ideally, for a baby to grow very quickly. For a cow, specifically, to stand on his or her four legs and be as independent as possible, as quickly as possible. This is a product that makes everything grow very rapidly and it’s no wonder it’s so closely linked to some forms of cancer, hormonal changes, weight gain, and more.” Among the cancers associated with dairy are breast and ovarian cancer.
The milk we drink has antibiotics and chemicals to make it safe for human consumption. It is pasteurized and homogenized, and often low in fat. But milk is not meant to be this way. It is meant to be fatty to help baby calves grow. “It’s not even really milk that we’re drinking,” Levin says. “It’s some sort of processed beverage that we’ve forced it to be to make it even slightly ‘healthy.’”
The USDA recommends daily intake of dairy. This agency was originally created to support the agriculture industry, but now is relied upon for our nutritional guidance. You can imagine the conflicts of interest. Millions of dollars are spent in marketing the idea that dairy is needed to protect our bones, but at what cost to our overall health? In addition to milk, many people get their dairy from cheese. In fact, Levin says, the average American now consumes about 35 pounds of cheese every year. Cheese is high in fat, averaging about 70 percent, and also high in sodium and cholesterol.
“What I think people don’t realize is that you can get the nutrients that promote bone health from healthier food sources,” Levin says. “You can get it where the cow would have liked to have gotten it: from leafy green grass. You can get it from leafy green vegetables as well. Other sources include calcium from beans and greens, and vitamin D. Vitamin D, like vitamin A, doesn’t naturally occur in dairy. It’s added. You can get that from other sources and, ideally, from the sun, which would be the best source for vitamin D.”
In 2015, researchers from Tufts University reported that sugary drinks are linked to 184,000 adult deaths worldwide each year. While most of these deaths were in developing countries, the US is affected at a rate of 125 per million. Today, the average American eats seventy-seven pounds per year, or twenty-two teaspoons daily. Volumes of scientific evidence implicate this sweet menace as a leading cause of America’s epidemics of obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and heart disease.
Despite its devastating effects on health, most of us continue to overdose on sugar every day. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to know when we are con-suming added sugars. Most foods in the American grocery store have added sugar. The industry uses many other names for sugar on the food label, including monoand disaccharides, lactose, evaporated cane syrup, dextrose, maltose, and intrinsic and extrinsic sugars. Products such as salad dressing, tomato sauce, bottled teas, frozen meals, and even sandwich breads are commonly manufactured with significant amounts of refined sugar. As such, it can be difficult even for the healthconscious consumers to find food that hasn’t been laced with sugar.
Though many choose to write it off as simply “having a sweet tooth,” sugar addiction is a well-documented condition that can be as difficult to overcome as some drug dependencies. One obesity researcher found that excessive sugar intake can lead to dependence, while the absence of it can create withdrawal symptoms, quantitatively similar to those associated with morphine and nicotine. An investigation carried out by the Oregon Research Institute examining the effect of sugar on the brain discovered that sugar produces a neurological response similar to that of highly addictive drugs, such as cocaine.
For the most part, calorie-free sweeteners are not a good alternative to sugar. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame have been shown to contribute to weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. In addition, artificial sweeteners have been shown to be addictive. One study found that when rats were given a choice between cocaine and the calorie-free sweetener saccharin, most favored saccharin. The best way to avoid excess sugar and artificial sweeteners is by eating an organic, whole foods diet.
What does it mean when we say a food is super? No, it’s not that the foodstuff is so powerful that, as might happen in a Hollywood movie, a few bites will cure cancer or diabetes. Nature’s products don’t work that way, but move gradually to improve health where it is weak or to maintain it where it is strong. All natural foods have nutrients and work to boost different bodily processes. Super foods are those that perform these functions in a big way. Native traditions throughout the world have long known that certain vegetables, fruits, and grains are especially powerful purveyors of protective, preventative, and therapeutic health benefits. However, it was not until there were studies of these natural products by modern biochemistry, botanical science, molecular biology, and medical clinical research that many of these foods’ extraordinary properties were more widely known.
For thousands of years, apples (malus sylvestris) have been used for a wide variety of medical complications and diseases, including diabetes, fevers, inflammatory conditions, and heart ailments. In addition to having confirmed many of the healthful properties of apples, modern research has identified invaluable phytochemicals contained by the fruits. Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that are found in plants and have been used to treat illnesses. One of these found in apples is phloretin, a natural antibiotic. The fruits also contain pectin and pectic acids that provide essential bulk to a diet. The apple’s tannins, quercetin, alphafarnesene, shikimic acid, and chlorogenic acid promote health benefits, such as increasing production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which helps offset cognitive decline due to oxidative damage. With high levels of phenols, polyphenols, and other antioxidant, chemoprotective properties, apples have been shown to help guard against a variety of cancers, including leukemia and those that target the colon, lung, breast, liver, and skin. Apples also provide essential nutrients to improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, and prevent atherosclerosis.
This fruit had a long and rich history in the medical practices of China and India. In traditional Chinese medicine, apricots and their kernels are prescribed for treating asthma, cough, and constipation. The fruit is a stronghold of vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, thiamine, niacin, and iron. Japanese scientists have called attention to the apricot’s ability to inhibit the pathogenic bacteria frequently associated with ulcers and acute gastritis.
Bananas are low in calories while providing essential nutrients, among them vitaminB6, vitamin C, potassium, and manganese. They also stimulate probiotic activity, which sustains healthy gut flora. Bacteria in our gastrointestinal system are critical for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. Bananas help keep this system on track. Recent findings have indicated that bananas may offer protection against kidney cancer, particularly in women, and aid renal function.
Many berries have health-boosting properties. Berries that are black, blue, and red are especially known for their possession of antioxidant nutrients. Blueberries specifically contain the antioxidant groups of flavonoids, phenolic and polyphenol compounds, all of which have shown some ability to reverse cellular aging of the cognitive and motor functions. In a study that compared the antioxidant levels of one hundred different foods, blueberries scored highest. Other examinations have shown blueberries acting to protect brain health, improve memory, and sustain coordination by, for one, enhancing communication between nerve cells. This activity provides protection from serious neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. On top of this, blueberries have anti-inflammatory properties that protect the skin, joints, and the cardiovascular and neurological systems. Eating this fruit has proven beneficial to those suffering from diabetes. Its consumption prevents bone loss and inhibits cancer cell proliferation, particularly in the cases of prostate and colon cancer.
What makes broccoli a super food is its high concentration of the phytochemicals diindolymethane and isothiocyanate, which are powerful immunomodulators, or substances that have strong effects on the immune system. Because it fosters immune system strength, broccoli helps to fight against cancer (breast and prostate cancer, in particular) and provides protection from bacterial and viral infections. Along with the phytochemicals, broccoli also contains other anticancer agents, such as glucoraphanin. Due to these observed properties, right now a substantial amount of research is being conducted on broccoli’s mutagenic qualities.
This vegetable is rich in vitamins A, B5, B6, B9 (folate), C, and K, and provides plenty of dietary fiber. It also provides moderate amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. As with other leafy green vegetables, it contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which foster eye health. Since it has more calcium than even most dairy products, it can protect bones and increase bone mass.
Carrots can be looked to as chief provider of carotenoids, a family of antioxidants proven to block DNA and cellular membrane damage caused by free radical activity. They are rich in the phytochemicals alpha-carotene and lycopene, both shown to have anti-carcinogenic properties, fighting against cancer especially in the colon, lung, prostate, and stomach. The less-known black and purple carrots have high levels of anthocyanin, a powerful anti-cancer biochemical that has been found to slow cancer cell proliferation by as much as 80 percent. The vegetable has shown capacity in boosting brain function and decreasing cholesterol, as well as improving vision. Carrots are high in retinoids, which benefit ocular health. Since carrots are a good source of vitamin A, they should be kept in the diet of diabetics, given that vitamin A lowers blood sugar and aids in the development of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. One cup of raw carrots can provide almost 700 percent of the daily recommended consumption of vitamin A and 220 percent of vitamin K, a substance critical for bone health. Thus, we have to dub carrots another superhero among edible plants.
While garlic contains phytonutrients similar to those found in onions, it also possesses selenium, a substance that, according to some studies, offers protection against various cancers and damage from free radicals. It has been shown to guard against heart disease and arterial calcification (hardening of the arteries), and to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. Since it is a source of the flavonoid quercetin, it contains antibiotic properties that empower it to fight colds, stomach viruses, and yeast infections.
Ginger is already widely employed throughout the world by anyone who wants to cure stomach upsets, reduce gastrointestinal gasses, and relieve nausea that arises from pregnancy, seasickness, and chemotherapy drugs. Ginger is largely composed of fragrant essential oils, which gives it a distinctive aromatic flavor. One of these oils, gingerol, makes it a natural sedative for calming the gastrointestinal tract. This oil also provides some protection from pathogenic bacteria that upset the stomach. New evidence suggests that ginger helps lower cholesterol, and works as a mild immune booster, warding off colds and flus, sinus congestions, and coughs. There have also been some preliminary findings in animal studies suggesting that ginger may help to treat diabetes.
Also known as wolfberry in its native Europe, the plant is found through much of Asia. The berry is a common ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, dating back thousands of years. The oblong red goji berry has a high concentration of phytochemicals, amino acids, vitamins B and C, and beta-carotene. Additionally, it contains eleven essential and twenty-two trace dietary minerals, is moderately high in alpha-linolenic acid, and is an outstanding source of the antioxidant lycopene. One can look to the goji berry for extra protein, dietary fibers, calcium, zinc, and selenium. Among its many health-lifting effects are protection against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, age-related vision disorders such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, cancer, liver problems, and sexual dysfunction.
The ingredient in tea—in green tea particularly—that has stirred the most scientific interest is catechin. Approximately 25 percent of a dry tea leaf is catechin. Although traces of catechin are also found in chocolate, wine, and other fruits and vegetables, it is tea that offers the greatest amount of this super nutrient. The multi-tasking catechin not only reduces the plaque buildup that is part of atherosclerosis, but also protects against infectious bacteria and reduces oxidative stress. In our polluted world, tea catechins are also useful in improving DNA replication and guarding against genetic damage from environmental toxins. Studies have noted its inflammatory properties and suggested it can play a role battling cancer. Green tea can improve bone density and cognitive function, reduce the risk of developing kidney stones, and strengthen heart function. There is also some evidence showing that green tea’s polyphenols protect against the brain cell death that is associated with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
When I mention legumes, most people think of beans, peas, and lentils. However, alfalfa, clover, peanuts, and cashews are also legumes. These vegetables and grains are excellent sources of cholesterol-lowering fiber important for gastrointestinal and colon health. When you consume a legume, its fiber content helps you manage blood sugar levels. One cup of lentils can provide as much as 65 percent of the minimum daily necessary dietary fiber.
Legumes in general contain energy-boosting protein and iron. Black beans are rich in the potent antioxidant anthocyanidin, which promotes heart and vascular health. Green beans are excellent sources of vitamins C and K. Garbanzo beans, commonly known as chickpeas, are a superb source of molybdenum, which strengthens teeth and preserves tooth enamel. Another important legume is the adzuki bean. Originally from the Himalayas and standard in East Asian cooking, it is a rich source of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Very high in soluble fiber, the adzuki helps eliminate bad cholesterol from the body. In Japan, it is treasured for its kidney and bladder health-promoting function, and used in weight-loss programs.
To maximize the benefits of legumes in the diet, combine them with whole grains. The reason for this is that legumes are very low in methionine, an essential amino acid that supports cellular life, while whole grains are replete with this amino acid, but low in lysine, which is abundant in legumes. A wholesome, integrated vegetarian diet will contain a balance of legumes and grains.
Dark green, leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, cabbage, arugula, Swiss chard, collard greens, and watercress. They are high in carotenoids and other antioxidants that guard against heart disease, cancer, and problems in blood sugar regulation. They also have individualized, singular health benefits. Spinach is one of the best sources of iron. Per gram, it generally contains over 30 percent more iron than a hamburger. (Any diet heavy in spinach should include sufficient vitamin C to help assimilate the iron.) Spinach is also an excellent source of folic acid, calcium, copper, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. One cup of cooked kale provides over 1,300 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin K needed for maximum bone health. It is also rich in calcium and manganese, other nurturers of bone density. As does broccoli, kale contains the anti-cancer phytochemical sulforaphane. Cabbage contains glutamine, an amino acid that contributes to antiinflammatory activities in the body and protects against infectious complications due to human papilloma virus (HPV). The juice from cabbage will quicken the healing of peptic ulcers. Watercress, a superb source of phytochemicals, has been shown to be a diuretic and digestive aid, protect against lung cancer, and strengthen the thyroid. Collard greens supply ample quantities of immune response modulator diindolylmethane.
My friends who have traveled to the Yunnan province in China mention that some of the most prized eatables there are the wide varieties of mushrooms. Where an average, un-health conscious American would find his or her greatest culinary delight in choosing between cuts of steak, the Yunnan citizen is delicately discriminating between different mushrooms. A wealth of growing peerreviewed science shows that many edible mushrooms are among the more important immune builders in the plant kingdom. In particular, medicinal mushrooms inhibit tumor growth, have antipathogenic and blood-sugar-lowering activities, and strengthen immunity. Different mushrooms have shown some effectiveness against pathogen from polio, hepatitis B, influenza, candida, Epstein-Barr virus, streptococcus, and tuberculosis. The scientific literature also notes how mushrooms can be enlisted in the fight against leukemia, sarcoma, and the bladder, breast, colon, liver, lung, prostate, and stomach cancers, even in advanced stages. Among approximately two hundred different varieties whose health-enhancing skills have been noted are the chaga, cordyceps, maitake, oyster, portobello, reishi, shiitake, and turkey tail mushrooms. Although it is possible to find all of these in fresh or dried form, in the US the shiitake mushrooms are the easiest to obtain.
A rule of thumb is that the more pungent the onion, the greater its health benefits. It’s as if you could smell its disease-thwarting power. Onions are particularly important to include in diets for diabetics, for one, because they are rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin. Moreover, refined sugar depletes the body’s chromium levels, so for anyone who has this sugar in her diet, onions are an excellent source of replacement. Onions are also rich in vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, molybdenum (essential in preserving tooth enamel), potassium, phosphorous, and copper. They are also just about the best source of quercetin, which works hand in hand with vitamin C in helping the body eliminate bacteria and strengthen immunity.
Onions help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and strengthen bone health. They also can reduce symptoms related to inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, arthritis, and respiratory congestion. Some studies have noted that they lessen the adverse effects from colds and flus.
The orange is a vitamin and mineral-packed treasure chest of a fruit, rich in vitamins A, B, and C, potassium, and calcium, as well as an excellent source of fiber. One phytonutrient in oranges that boosts it into the super-food category is the flavonoid hesperidin. This biochemical works to support healthy blood vessels and reduce cholesterol. The orange is stocked with vitamin C, an important antioxidant that limits free radicals while also building the immune system. Vitamin C’s healing properties are well known and have been repeatedly validated scientifically. These include the lessening of arterial plaque as well as protecting from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Crohn’s diseases, arthritis, and diabetes.
Native American folk medicine, which has so many features we can still learn from, gave a prominent place in its pharmacology to peppers of the capsicum family, which includes bell and chili peppers. Recent work suggests that the nutrient capsaicin, found in these peppers, is a natural analgesic and a neuroinflammatory blocker that relieves aches and pains to joints and muscles. This is one reason why Native American medicine prescribed a topical application of pepper to painful areas of the body.
Promising research has explored the uses of capsaicin in the treatment of type 1 diabetes, leukemia, and prostate cancer. Some scientists have noted that it helps with weight loss, stimulation of insulin-producing cells, and prevention of LDL cholesterol oxidation. Another benefit recently uncovered is that the nutrient protects from stomach ulcerations and induces apoptosis (cancer cell death) in lung cancer.
Setting aside the value of capsaicin, peppers can also be prized because they are rich in the antioxidant vitamins A as well as in vitamins B1, B6, E, and K. They are also high in potassium, magnesium, and iron. Yellow peppers are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect from eye disease and blindness.
Studies that have considered dietary reasons for the lower cancer rates in the East as compared to the West always point to soy as one of the major foods that distinguishes these global eating patterns. A number of studies show that the phytochemicals in soy protect against the genesis of cancer. Isoflavones, including genistein and daidzein, which are major constituents in soy, seem to be some of the active ingredients that provide natural protection against various cancers: breast, colon, endometrial, and prostate. One important Japanese study involving more than twenty-four thousand women found those who had the highest soy content in their diet were best protected against breast cancer. A later Japanese study noted the soy isoflavones could reduce breast cancer risk by up to 54 percent.
Along with this exciting attribute, soy has given evidence of an ability to lower blood LDL cholesterol and promote good HDL cholesterol, improve cardiac function, strengthen bone mass, and stabilize blood sugar.
In vegetarian diets, soy-based foods are an excellent replacement for animal protein. Soybeans are also high in iron, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, riboflavin, magnesium, and potassium.
Tomatoes are the best source for lycopene, a carotenoid biochemical that gives them their red color and is packed with positive properties. It has been estimated that approximately 80 percent of the lycopene consumed in the US derives from tomatoes and tomato-based foods. There is a vast body of scientific literature confirming lycopene’s antioxidant and antimutagenic properties. This chemical is noteworthy for its protection against and treatment of various cancers, including that of the bladder, breast, cervix, lungs, mouth, ovaries, prostate, and stomach. Because diabetics often have low levels of lycopene in their blood, tomatoes should become a regular part of their diets.
Tomatoes have been shown to prevent cholesterol oxidation, lower blood pressure, and decrease the risk of atherosclerosis. Other benefits include improved renal function. Tomatoes also have antiviral and antibacterial qualities. In particular, lycopene can protect against human papillomavirus, one pathogen that has been associated with cancer.
Tomatoes are rich in most of the B complex vitamins as well as in potassium, manganese, chromium, folate, and iron. You can look to the tomato as an excellent source of the amino acid tryptophan, which is important for neurological health and can improve sleep.
By now most Americans are aware that whole grain breads and pastas are healthier than those made from white flour, and brown rice is higher in nutrients and health benefits than white rice. However, once a person has changed over to brown rice and whole grain breads, she still has a rich world of whole grains to explore, each of which offers unique health benefits and phytonutrients.
As with legumes, whole grains are rich in fiber. Take spelt, which is being used in breads and pastas and will provide 75 percent of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin B2. Spelt is highly water soluble, which means its nutri-ents are easily absorbed. There is evidence that spelt is a good choice for diabetics. Another grain, barley, is distinguished by being an excellent source of selenium, a substance that reduces the risk of colon disorders and colorectal cancer. Because barley is high in tryptophan, it will aid in sleep regulation. A third important grain, millet, is high in manganese, magnesium, and phosphorous, all of which support cardiovascular health.
Two less-familiar grains also deserve mention. The Glycemic Research Institute in Washington, D.C., has trumpeted the value of kamut for its low-glycemic properties, which makes it an ideal super food for diabetics, athletes, and people suffering from obesity. It is also an excellent substitute for those with wheat allergies. Quinoa has been identified as a super food among grains for its ability to balance blood sugar and provide high quality fiber and protein to the diet. It is higher in calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc than are wheat, barley, and corn. In addition to balancing insulin resistance, quinoa protects against atherosclerosis and breast cancer, and acts as a probiotic to foster the good micro-flora in the gut.