By Nikki Jong, Caring.com contributing editor
Reprinted in Part From: http://www.caring.com/articles/12-foods-super-healing
As part of a healthy diet, whole foods play a significant
role in helping our bodies function at their best. There are hundreds of
extremely nutritious whole foods, but the dozen on this list do more than contribute
healthy nutrients -- they help you heal. In fact, every food on this list
boasts multiple healing effects, from fighting cancer to reducing cholesterol,
guarding against heart disease, and more. Eat these super-healing picks and
start feeling pretty super yourself.
This tiny, nutrient-dense fruit packs an amazing amount of
vitamin C (double the amount found in oranges), has more fiber than apples, and
beats bananas as a high-potassium food. The unique blend of phytonutrients,
vitamins, and minerals found in kiwifruit helps protect against heart disease,
stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease. Kiwifruit's natural blood-thinning
properties work without the side effects of aspirin and support vascular health
by reducing the formation of spontaneous blood clots, lowering LDL cholesterol,
and reducing blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that kiwifruit not
only reduces oxidative stress and damage to DNA but also prompts damaged cells
to repair themselves.
Kiwifruit is often prescribed as part of a dietary regimen
to battle cancer and heart disease, and in Chinese medicine it's used to
accelerate the healing of wounds and sores.
How much: Aim to eat one to two kiwifruit a
day while they're in season, for the best taste and nutrition. California-grown
kiwifruit are in season from October through May, and New Zealand kiwifruit are
available between April and November.
Tips:
- Kiwifruit contains enzymes that activate once you cut the fruit, causing the flesh to tenderize. So if you're making a fruit salad, cut the kiwifruit last.
Cherries
Cherries boast a laundry list of healing powers. For
starters, they pack a powerful nutritional punch for a relatively low calorie
count. They're also packed with substances that help fight inflammation
and cancer. As if that weren't enough, in lab studies, quercetin and ellagic
acid, two compounds contained in cherries, have been shown to inhibit the
growth of tumors and even cause cancer cells to commit suicide -- without
damaging healthy cells. Cherries also have antiviral and antibacterial properties.
Anthocyanin, another compound in cherries, is credited with
lowering the uric acid levels in the blood, thereby reducing a common cause of
gout. Researchers believe anthocyanins may also reduce your risk of colon
cancer. Further, these compounds work like a natural form of ibuprofen,
reducing inflammation and curbing pain. Regular consumption may help lower risk
of heart attack and stroke.
In Chinese medicine, cherries are routinely used as a remedy
for gout, arthritis, and rheumatism (as well as anemia, due to their high iron
content). Plus they're delicious.
How much: Aim for a daily serving while
they're in season locally. And keep a bag of frozen cherries in your freezer
the rest of the year; frozen cherries retain 100 percent of their nutritional
value and make a great addition to smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal.
Tip:
- Buy organic or wash thoroughly, since conventionally grown cherries can be high in pesticides.
Guavas
Guavas are a small tropical fruit that can be round, oval,
or pear-shaped. They're not all that common, so they might be hard to find,
depending on where you live. But if you can track them down, it's more than
worth it. Guavas contain more of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene than
any other fruit or vegetable, and nearly 20 percent more than tomatoes. Our
bodies can't process much of the lycopene in tomatoes until they're cooked; the
processing helps break down tough cell walls. However, guavas' cell structure
allows the antioxidant to be absorbed whether the fruit is raw or cooked, and
the whole fruit offers the nutrition without the added sodium of processed
tomato products.
Lycopene protects our healthy cells from free radicals that
can cause all kinds of damage, including blocked arteries, joint degeneration,
nervous system problems, and even cancer. Lycopene consumption is associated
with significantly lower rates of prostate
cancer; in addition, men with prostate tumors who consumed lycopene
supplements showed significant improvements, such as smaller tumors and
decreased malignancy. Lycopene has also been found to inhibit the growth of
breast cancer cells,
and research suggests that this antioxidant may also help protect against coronary
heart disease.
This strange-looking little fruit is also packed with
vitamin C and other antioxidants. Serving for serving, guava offers more than
60 percent more potassium than a banana, which can help protect against heart
disease and stroke. In fact, the nutrients found in guavas have been shown to
lower LDL and boost HDL cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and lower blood
pressure.
How much: Aim to eat fresh guavas as often as
you can when you can find them in stores. They're not commonly available in the
freezer section; and most guava juices are processed and sweetened, so they
don't provide the same superior nutrition that the whole, fresh fruit does. One
to two guavas a day is a good goal.
Tip:
- Opt for the red-fleshed variety if you can; both are loaded with antioxidants, but the red type has more than the white-fleshed apple guava.
Black Bean Avocado Spring Salad
Beans
Beans are a miracle food. They lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and insulin production, promote digestive health, and protect against cancer. If you think of fiber, protein, and antioxidants and immediately think whole grains, meat, and fruit, think again -- beans offer all three in a single package.
An assortment of phytochemicals found in beans has been shown to protect cells from cancerous activity by inhibiting cancer cells from reproducing, slowing tumor growth. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that women who consumed beans at least twice a week were 24 percent less likely to develop breast cancer, and multiple studies have tied beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers.
Beans deliver a whopping amount of antioxidants, which help
prevent and fight oxidative damage. In fact, the USDA's ranking of foods by
antioxidant capacity places three varieties of beans (red beans, red kidney
beans, and pinto beans) in the top four -- and that's among all food groups.
Beans are a great source of dietary fiber, protein, and iron. They also contain
the amino acid tryptophan; foods with high amounts of tryptophan can help
regulate your appetite, aid in sleep, and improve your mood. Many are also rich
in folate, which plays a significant role in heart health. And depending on the
type of bean you choose, you'll also get decent amounts of potassium,
magnesium, vitamin B1 and B2, and vitamin K. Soybeans are a great source of
omega-3 fatty acids.
In Chinese medicine, various types of beans have been used
to treat alcoholism, food poisoning, edema (particularly in the legs), high
blood pressure, diarrhea, laryngitis, kidney stones, rheumatism, and dozens of
other conditions.
How much: Aim for a minimum of two servings of
beans per week.
Tip: Adzuki and mung beans are among the most
easily digested; pinto, kidney, navy, garbanzo, lima, and black beans are more
difficult to digest.
Not only is watercress extremely nutritious, it's about as
close as you can get to a calorie-free food. Calorie for calorie, it provides
four times the calcium of 2 percent milk. Ounce for ounce, it offers as much
vitamin C as an orange and more iron than spinach. It's packed with vitamin A
and has lots of vitamin K, along with multiple antioxidant carotenoids and
protective phytochemicals.
The nutrients in watercress protect against cancer and
macular degeneration, help build the immune system, and support bone health.
The iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your body's tissues for energy.
The phytochemicals in watercress battle cancer in three ways: killing cancer
cells, blocking carcinogens, and protecting healthy cells from carcinogens.
They've also been shown to help prevent lung and esophageal cancer and can help
lower your risk for other cancers.
In Chinese medicine, watercress is thought to help reduce
tumors, improve night vision, and stimulate bile production (improving
digestion and settling intestinal gas). It's used as a remedy for jaundice,
urinary difficulty, sore throat, mumps, and bad breath.
How much: Eat watercress daily if you can. In
some regions, it's more widely available during the spring and summer, when
it's cultivated outdoors. But since it can also be grown hydroponically in
greenhouses, you can find it year-round in many grocery stores and at your
local farmer's market.
Tip:
- You can cook it, but watercress is better for you when you eat it raw. Tuck it into a sandwich in place of lettuce.
- Toss it with your favorite vegetables and eat it in a salad.
- Watercress is great in pesto -- just replace the basil with watercress -- and soups.
- Use watercress as a wonderfully detoxifying ingredient in a juice or smoothie.
Spinach
A carotenoid found in spinach not only kills prostate
cancer cells, it also prevents them from multiplying. Folate promotes
vascular health by lowering homocysteine, an amino acid that, at high levels,
raises the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease
and stroke. Folate has
also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and
breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary
characteristics of all cancers. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach
protect against colon cancer in addition to fighting inflammation,
making them key components of brain health, particularly in older adults.
Spinach is loaded with vitamin K (one cup of cooked spinach
provides 1,111 percent of the recommended daily amount!), which builds strong
bones by helping calcium adhere to the bone. Spinach is also rich in lutein,
which protects against age-related macular degeneration, and it may help
prevent heart attacks by keeping artery walls clear of cholesterol buildup.
How much: Fresh spinach should be a daily
staple in your diet. It's available in practically every grocery store, no
matter where you live, it's easy to find year-round, and you'd be hard pressed
to find a more nutritionally sound, versatile green. So do yourself a healthy
favor and aim for a few ounces -- raw, sauteed, or lightly steamed, every day.
Tips:
- Add a handful of fresh spinach to your next fruit smoothie. It'll change the color but not the taste.
- Conventionally grown spinach is susceptible to pesticide residue; stick to organic.
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