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Whole foods come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The colors of the foods we eat can actually be significant, and can sometimes be used as general guidelines on the benefits that they provide.
- Here are some highly nutritional white foods and and the health benefits they provide:
- Apples:
- Delicious apples facilitate digestion & prevent colon cancer
- They are packed with fiber. Because of this, they help keep the digestive system working effectively. One cup of apples contains 3 grams of dietary fiber, which is 12 percent of the recommended daily value. Multiple studies have shown that high fiber diets may significantly reduce the risk of developing colon cancer.
- Bananas:
- They make you feel happier. Bananas are a convenient and easy way to lift your mood. The natural sugars can help give you a quick boost, and the dietary fiber will keep the blood sugar from spiking too high. The carbohydrates in bananas help our brains absorb tryptophan, which vitamin B6 (also found in bananas) converts to serotonin – the hormone that controls our mood. They are also packed with iron, which helps fight fatigue.
- Ginger:
- This unique root may prevent some types of cancers.
- A study at the University of Minnesota showed that gingerols (a compound found in ginger) play a crucial role in preventing the development of colorectal cancer. More research needs to be done to confirm this benefit, but the results look promising. Another study conducted by Dr. Rebecca Liu at the University of Michigan showed that gingerols were also able to kill ovarian cancer cells. Again, more research needs to be done to confirm that ginger is a treatment for cancer.
- Onions:
- They strengthen bones and regulate blood sugar.
- Studies in women of menopausal age showed that eating onions might be significant in promoting bone density. This study from the University of South Carolina also showed that women who frequently ate onions had a reduced risk of hip fracture. There have also been animal studies from Japan and Korea showing that onions may help regulate blood sugar. More research needs to be done on humans before this benefit is confirmed.
- Pears:
- They are packed with vitamin C.
- Vitamin C may be one of the most popular vitamins in the world, and for good reason. This potent vitamin acts as an antioxidant and helps boost our immune system protecting from heart disease, joint diseases, cataracts, and cancer. Pears are also packed with fiber, which we have seen with apples provides many benefits.
- Potatoes:
- They regulate blood pressure.
- Potatoes may help keep our blood pressure steady. In a study published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, it was reported that the “Purple potatoes are an effective hypotensive agent and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke in hypertensive subjects without weight gain.”
- Purple potatoes regulated blood pressure without an increase in weight.
- For the health benefits of apples.
- For the health benefits of bananas.
- Note: None of the information in our website is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. The content on our website is for educational purposes only.
- REFERENCES
- 1. “Dietary Fibre in Food and Protection against Colorectal Cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.” ScienceDirect.com. Science Direct, May 2003. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.
- 2. “Gingerol Suppresses Colon Cancer Growth by Targeting Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.
- 3. “The Association between Onion Consumption and Bone Density in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Non-Hispanic White Women 50 Years and Older.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.
- 4. “Lowering Effects of Onion Intake on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.
- 5. “The Antidiabetic Effect of Onion and Garlic in Experimental Diabetic Rats: Meta-analysis.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.
- 6. “High-Antioxidant Potatoes: Acute in Vivo Antioxidant Source and Hypotensive Agent in Humans after Supplementation to Hypertensive Subjects.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (ACS Publications). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.
