12 Foods That Look Just Like the Organ They Benefit
Some of the most beautiful examples of the brilliance of God’s creations can be found in nature. One such stunning creation is the food we eat.
Superfoods that are packed with nutrients can help you experience optimal mental, physical and emotional health. Include some power foods in your daily diet to experience their tremendous benefits. Let’s have a look at some of the best options for improved well-being!
Walnuts for Brain Health
Walnuts are a powerhouse of essential nutrients. They benefit your brain and body in many ways. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s bulletin, one ounce of walnuts offers 18 grams of healthy fats, 4 grams of protein, and nearly 2 grams of fiber.
Walnuts have significant amounts of omega-3 fats and antioxidants. These nutrients can boost overall health, including brain health. Some of the proven benefits of walnuts include improving cognition and slowing down the progression of brain-related problems like:
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
- Dementia
- Stroke
- Depression
- Inflammation
Moreover, consuming walnuts daily reduces the formation of free radicals, which can cause damage in your brain and other tissues. Therefore, these nuts can boost your body’s antioxidant defense, which helps your tissues create healthy lipids and proteins.
Other benefits of walnuts include:
Carrots for Stronger Eyes
The wonder root vegetable, the carrot, is a colorful and crunchy delight that is great for the eyes and general health.
Carrots are packed with carotenoids, which provide numerous health benefits. One of these carotenoids, beta-carotene, is converted to vitamin A within your body. This nutrient is a blessing for healthy eyes, and its deficiency is one of the leading causes of blindness.
Moreover, antioxidants like beta-carotene and lutein stop the production of free radicals (molecules that cause oxidative stress, which leads to cellular damage and illnesses such as eye diseases). Vitamin A also works with rhodopsin (a reddish-purple, light-sensitive pigment in your eyes) to help with night vision.
Studies have also found that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is improved by antioxidants and a healthy diet, including carrots. Also, the American Academy of Ophthalmology states that carrots are an important food for overall eye health.
Other benefits of consuming carrots in our daily life include:
Tomato to Support a Healthy Heart
One of the most common ingredients of the global kitchen, the tomato, is a wonder fruit. It is great for heart health, making it an essential element of your daily diet.
Tomatoes contain an abundance of lycopene, which helps improve the health of your heart and circulatory system. Additionally, the presence of chlorogenic acid, which is a potent antioxidant, significantly lowers elevated blood pressure.
A study on middle-aged men reported that people who didn’t get enough lycopene and beta-carotene had an increased risk of heart attack and strokes. Also, clinical studies have shown that tomatoes lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Moreover, these fruits support blood vessel health and decrease the risk of blood clotting. In addition, they are packed with vitamins B and E and antioxidants called flavonoids that promote a healthy heart.
One 80-gram serving of tomatoes provides 5 percent of your daily value of potassium—the necessary percentage for your daily potassium needs. As a result, potassium supports a healthy heart by decreasing your risk of strokes and other diseases. All of these nutrients in tomatoes come together to promote great heart health.
Add this detox southwest chicken soup into your dinner rotation to help flush toxins from your body and improve heart health.
Ginger for Stomach Health
Fragrant, spicy, and zesty ginger roots are a blessing for stomach health. They help overall gut health in many ways, including:
According to research, gingerol, a molecule present in ginger, has antioxidant characteristics. This reduces oxidative stress and lowers the production of damage-causing free radicals in your body. Gingerol may help support the health of your stomach and other tissues.
One of the biggest causes of stomach symptoms is indigestion and delayed stomach emptying (having food stay in your stomach too long after you eat). In one study, researchers discovered that ginger significantly speeds up the emptying of the stomach and reduces indigestion and further digestive problems.
Ginger also has proven benefits for several gastrointestinal conditions and symptoms, such as:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Gastroenteritis (inflammation of the digestive system)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Gastrointestinal cancers
- Dysphagia (swallowing problems)
Moreover, ginger blocks the effects of lipase, an enzyme produced by the pancreas that encourages your intestines to absorb fat. In this way, ginger can lead to lower levels of fat molecules in your blood and improve your body’s ability to metabolize sugar.
Ginger’s many properties can help maintain a healthy digestive system. This refreshing ginger, turmeric, lemon, and cinnamon tea blend is a great way to add more ginger to your diet.
Celery for Strong Bones
Celery looks similar to human bones and is great for bone health. Consumption of celery juice, soups, salads, and other products will boost your skeletal health and help you jump and run for years.
Celery is high in vitamin K, which is directly related to improved bone health and decreased risk of osteoporosis (a condition that causes your bones to weaken). Also, this vegetable has abundant silicon, which also helps strengthen the bones.
Celery is packed with calcium, which is a major component of the bone. This mineral provides structural strength to all of the bones in your body.
Celery’s nutrients, including vitamin K, calcium, silicon, manganese, and copper are all essential nutrients for bone health. All of these nutrients come together to:
- Regenerate and strengthen damaged bones
- Fight against osteoporosis
- Maintain bone density
According to Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS, celery is also beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as it contains antioxidants and polysaccharides, which help lower joint pain by reducing inflammation. All these wonderful properties of celery are great for maintaining bone health, avoiding fractures, and maintaining great skeletal health.
Sweet Potato for a Healthy Pancreas
Sweet potato is an incredible root vegetable that looks like the pancreas and provides great benefits for this organ. Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index, so they won’t increase your blood sugar too quickly and lead to a sugar crash. As a result, sweet potatoes could help support a healthy pancreas, which controls sugar levels in your body.
Moreover, sweet potatoes contain vitamin A, which helps insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas work properly. It further helps provide enough insulin to meet the body’s needs.
Sweet potato helps the pancreas function normally by:
The antioxidant nature, low glycemic index, and abundance of nutrients in sweet potatoes are collectively very good for the pancreas. This vegetable may boost the functioning of your pancreas and lower your chances of getting pancreatic cancer. Having roasted, baked, and steamed sweet potatoes is highly recommended for optimal health. This Thai sweet potato and carrot soup is a welcome addition to your weekly soup repertoire.
Avocado for Uterus Health
The exceptionally nutritious, delicious, and amazing avocado has several benefits for the uterus and female reproductive system. This wonder fruit contains magnesium, B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate.
The vitamin E in avocados improves the lining of the uterus, improving blood flow and boosting fertility.
Moreover, avocado contains other compounds, such as fiber, monounsaturated fats, and lipid-soluble antioxidants, that are directly linked to the better health of maternal organs.
Potassium regulates estrogen levels in the uterus, which leads to healthy menstruation and pregnancies. Furthermore, folic acid ensures good uterine blood flow, helping this organ function at its healthiest.
Nutrient-rich avocados are immensely beneficial for the uterus and boost female reproductive health. You can consume this fruit directly, in salads, sandwiches, and tacos, or try this salmon-stuffed avocado, to experience its nurturing benefits.
Kidney Beans to Maintain Kidney Health
Kidney beans are enjoyed worldwide. These power-packed beans have great benefits for the kidney.
Kidney beans are a great plant protein source and contain nutritious lectins and protease inhibitors. In addition, the presence of starch and abundance of minerals make it healthy.
These beans contain phosphorus, potassium, protein, and magnesium, which regulate the healthy functioning of the kidney, according to John McDougall, M.D.
Consuming kidney beans also places less pressure on this organ. High levels of soluble and insoluble fiber and low levels of fat also keep your blood pressure under control. Kidney beans further help the kidney avoid stress and maintain healthy filtration of your blood. Moreover, high fiber also regulates blood sugar. Healthy cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels paired with lots of fiber and nutrients make kidney beans a very kidney-friendly food.
Citrus for Breast Health
Citrus fruits like lime, sweet orange, and grapefruits are juicy and colorful and have great benefits for breast health. In addition, they have high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper. These are beneficial nutrients that help keep you healthy and protect against disease.
Flavonoids and carotenoids are molecules with inflammatory and antioxidant effects that are great for breast health. Many studies have linked the consumption of citrus fruits to a reduced risk of breast cancer. One possible reason may be that these foods have flavonoids that help protect against various cancers.
Citrus fruits are also considered good for lactating mothers, as they have high doses of vitamin C. This nutrient is good for milk production and growing infants. All these bioactive compounds collectively reduce the risk of cancer and promote healthy lactation, which benefits both mothers and children.
Grapes for Healthy Lungs
Grapes are beneficial fruits that help boost healthy breathing and lungs. In addition, they are packed with resveratrol, a natural compound that helps reduce inflammation.
Grapes are especially beneficial for people with lung problems like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One study found that resveratrol suppresses inflammation in your respiratory system and promotes healthy lungs.
Animal studies have also shown that resveratrol prevents lung cancer, although this needs to be further tested in humans. It also inhibits the growth of tumors, maintains healthy lungs, and minimizes cancer risk.
Grapes are also rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, and anthocyanins that boost healthy lung function. These molecules can help improve how much air you are able to take in and breathe out.
Grape’s important nutrients are great for lung function, reducing potential diseases, and promoting healthy breathing. They can be consumed raw, in juice, or added to foods.
Onions to Support the Health of Cells Throughout Your Body
These bulb-shaped root vegetables are consumed globally for their rich flavors and health benefits. In addition, this wonderful vegetable leads to the healthy functioning of your cells.
Onions have a good amount of nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals which support various body functions. For example, vitamin B6 helps your body produce healthy red blood cells. Vitamin C, an antioxidant, also encourages the growth of skin and hair cells.
The rich dose of antioxidants found in onions slows down oxidative damage to all of your body cells, leading to healthier cells, tissues, and organs. Quercetin removes free radicals from the body, reduces inflammation, and protects against the harmful effects of metal ions.
Onions are great for:
- Reducing oxidative damage within cells
- Formation of new blood cells
- Production of healthy hair and skin cells
Other benefits of onion include antibacterial properties, boosting bone and heart health, and controlling sugar levels in the blood. Consuming it in salads, raw, or cooked foods will yield great benefits.
Red Wine for Nourishing Blood
Red wine has numerous benefits for blood and circulatory health. Red wine contains resveratrol, which is helpful for your circulatory system in several ways. It can:
- Boost the health of your blood vessels and prevent damage
- Lower bad cholesterol levels and boost healthy cholesterol levels, helping prevent blood clots and other diseases
- Strengthen the lining of the blood vessels
The polyphenols present in red wine also prevent serious blood clots. Moreover, red wine is a great vasodilator in the arteries—it helps widen blood vessels in order to relieve high blood pressure. Interestingly, one study found that 1 to 3 glasses of red wine per day may decrease the risk of stroke in middle-aged men.
Red wine’s nutrients are great for circulatory health, blood, and the heart. Moderate consumption is proven to have numerous health benefits.
Wrapping Up
Eating a balanced diet that meets all of your nutritional needs is important for the healthy functioning of many of your body systems. Make sure to eat a variety of foods from different food groups for optimal health.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
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