"Eat your greens", Grandma
used to say, referring to dark green vegetables such as spinach and dark
cabbage. I don’t recall her or anybody saying "eat your reds."
Perhaps they should have done; maybe the modern day Mum and Grandma should
start saying "eat your greens and reds." That means, if they are
referring to vegetables and not artificial colors.
Just as "greens" are full of
good nutrients, so are "reds"; the reds being red beet, or beetroot,
and red cabbage. These are popular health foods these days, for a number of
very good reasons. To those who like them, red cabbage and
red beets are delicious, nutritious and low in calories. Personally I do
not like beetroot that much, but that does not alter its properties and
benefits. The compounds found in these red vegetables are believed to play an
important role in the prevention of many forms of cancer.
Some new research suggest the benefits
of red cabbage and red beets come from the many photochemical these foods,
especially indole-3-carbinole (I3C), sulphoraphane and in doles. These
compounds are thought to have a role in activation and stabilization, of the
detoxification and antioxidant processes of the human body.
Indole-3-carbinole (I3C) is now thought
to assist in reducing the risk of breast cancer and a study showed a 50%
reduction in the incidence of breast cancer. These compounds are abundant
both in red cabbage and red beets, and are thought to participate in the
production and utilization of estrogen in the body. They are also thought to
play a role in reducing the likelihood of breast cancer in people who eat these
foods.
As well as the prevention of breast
cancer, red cabbage and red beets are thought to be capable of playing an
important part in prevention of other cancers, notably of the lungs, stomach
and colon. These red vegetables have other
attractions too, from their other nutrient resources. They are very rich in
Vitamin C, a key antioxidant. Also, like many other vegetables of all colours,
the "reds" are a good source of calcium.
Other nutrients present in red beet and
cabbage are flavanoids, which give the deep red colours of these vegetables.
that is why it is best to buy the deepest red samples you can. It is the
flavonoids, alongside the Vitamin C, which give both red cabbage and red beets
their powerful antioxidant health benefits. They are two of the best
sources of flavanoids, so should be treasured as you enjoy every mouthful.
On other area of health where these red
vegetables are being studied is in their possible role in treating peptic
ulcers. the red juice has been used as a treatment for many years. It is
believed that the high concentration of the amino acid called glutamine is
responsible for this health giving property. Glutamine provides
nutrients to the cells that line the small intestine and the stomach, which
could be why it is responsible for the effectiveness of cabbage juice at
treating ulcer conditions.
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