10 Vegetables That Reduce the Risk of Chronic Disease The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published a list of 41 “powerhouse” fruits and vegetables. Their list includes plant foods that are strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis. You’ll find more antioxidants, vitamin C, and B vitamins in a side of sauerkraut than you will in a side of sliced cabbage. According to the CDC, a whopping 75% of our healthcare dollars are spent treating chronic disease. While chronic diseases are the most common and costly of all health problems, they are also the most preventable. The Top 10 Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables Jennifer Di Noia of William Paterson University developed a way to analyze and categorize 17 common nutrients in raw fruits and vegetables. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Institute of Medicine, these 17 nutrients are critical to the prevention of chronic disease. This list includes minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc. Vitamins also made the lineup. Green smoothie woman making vegetable smoothies with blender. He 10 Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables may have the power to ward off disease and improve your quality of life. These top fruits and veggies contain 17 critical nutrients needed to prevent chronic disease. Di Noia measured amounts of: Thiamin (or vitamin B1) Riboflavin (or vitamin B2) Niacin (or vitamin B3) Folate Vitamin A Vitamin B6 Vitamin B12 Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Of the Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables, raw cruciferous veggies (like watercress, Chinese cabbage, collard green, kale, and arugula) and leafy greens (such as chard, beet green, spinach, chicory, and leaf lettuce) made the top of the list. Whereas, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, alliums, citrus, and berries were concentrated in the bottom half of the list. According to the CDC and Di Noia’s research, the top 10 Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables are: Watercress Chinese cabbage Chard Beet greens Spinach Chicory Leaf lettuce Parsley Romaine lettuce Collard greens The Benefits of Cultured Powerhouse Vegetables We are not surprised that cruciferous vegetables ranked high on the list of Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables. While cruciferous vegetables are rich in the 17 nutrients that the CDC uses to define a powerhouse vegetable, they also contain other plant chemicals—such as glucosinolates, polyphenols, and plant flavonoids—that have been shown to safeguard against cancer. Raw cruciferous vegetables also support gut health. Research shows that by simply consuming a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage, you can change the type of bacteria living in your gut. For those who suffer with digestive issues, raw cruciferous vegetables, which are high in fiber and phytonutrients that feed gut bacteria, may make symptoms of leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) worse. To make cruciferous vegetables easier to digest, we recommend fermenting them with a culture starter. Cultured cruciferous vegetables are not only easier to digest (because they are pre-digested by probiotic bacteria), they are also higher in antioxidants, vitamin C, and B vitamins—all of which are byproducts of the fermentation process. In other words: You’ll find more antioxidants, vitamin C, and B vitamins in a side of sauerkraut than you will in a side of sliced cabbage. Why Berries Didn’t Make the List Berries—such as raspberries, cranberries, and blueberries—didn’t make the CDC’s list of Powerhouse Fruits and Vegetables. As researcher Di Noia explains, “Had I been able to incorporate phytochemical data, these items may have made the list. I think this is an important direction for future research.” Phytochemicals include polyphenols, plant flavonoids, and carotenoids that all act as antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants protect cells from aging, helping to ward off the development of cancer. Studies also tell us that phytochemicals may lower our risk of developing heart disease and some forms of dementia.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:00:00 +0000
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