Smart And Savory, Daniel Lopez [great books to read .TXT] 📗

Page 6

THE CELERY

Celery! A perfect low-calorie snack at any time of the day! Did you know that celery sticks are mostly made up of water? This makes it an easy and delicious source for nutrients and fibers. Celery has the ability to ease hunger when consumed which in other terms means it may increase satiety. It can also help treat constipation by doing a light cleanse through our bodies. Not only does celery help with unnecessary hunger and constipation but, it can also help reduce the risk of heart disease. In a 2009 experiment done by scientists, they concluded that celery can reduce and lower “bad” cholesterol. That's not all! Celery is also found to regulate and even lessen our blood sugar levels. Although celery is beneficial, too much of anything is not good for us. In this case, celery contains high amounts of sodium, so balance your meal wisely to

where you don’t exceed your sodium intake for the day.

THE STRAWBERRY

Strawberries, the delicious bright red fruit everyone enjoys, not only tastes great but aids our body in many ways. We all know wrinkles, those undesirable creases in people's skin. Did you know they can be reduced, and may even be stopped from ever forming? Strawberries could be a solution! Strawberries like oranges contain vitamin C, which once again Is vitamins for your body. It contains the nutrients that protect us from types of heart diseases and cancers. Although that's not all of the benefits. They also have the ability to reduce wrinkles and aid in healthy aging. This is possible because of ellagic acid which is found in many fruits, including strawberries. Ellagic acid helps protect our skin from destructive enzymes against collagen. Collagen is the protein in our bodies that helps our skin look and feel young. Unfortunately, this protein slowly degrades as we grow older. Luckily, not only are strawberries a sweet and sour treat for any time of day, but it also aids our bodies in anti-aging.

THE ORANGE

Oranges! The bright happy fruit that can cure your sweet tooth with ease. This sweet yet sour fruit also comes packed with vitamin C like the other fruits. Vitamin C helps our body's immune system stay protected and it also plays a pretty significant role in protecting us from other illnesses. Such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, strokes, and even your eye’s health. Studies have also shown that with the consumption of oranges, your chances of kidney stones are lowered. Not only do oranges contain these main benefits, but they also have the ability to control our body’s blood sugar levels. This doesn't mean that you should eat oranges many of the time because too much of the sugar in the oranges could raise your blood sugar up by a pretty large amount. Now what it does mean is that instead of a candy, an orange has the same sweet and sugary taste without the guilt. So, whenever you crave a chocolate bar or a cookie, think of this delicious and healthy fruit that you can eat instead.

THE CARROT

Everyone has heard the saying “Carrots are great to improve eyesight”, but that isn't all carrots are beneficial for! In a study by the Journal Of Preventive Nutrition & Food Science, they created a test in which they found out that carrots have the ability to regulate things including blood sugar and diabetes with the use of a protein called insulin. Insulin helps keep the sugars and carbohydrates in our bodies from escalating which is perfect for diabetes management. Carrots also contain antiseptics and antibacterial activity. Which in other words means that carrots have the ability to kill off bacteria before it reproduces. So in all, it improves our immune systems greatly. Another benefit that comes from carrots is lutein. Lutein is a powerful antioxidant that has very important and vital benefits. Lutein is most effective to the retina (eye) but it also protects our bodies against unstable molecules. These unstable molecules lead to the production of diseases including cancer, heart diseases, and once again diabetes.

THE APPLE

The skin of an apple is also important and contains most of its benefits including a lot of fibers and most flavonoids found in the apple. Flavonoids contain nutrients that give our bodies things like antioxidants, meaning it helps our body fight off and lower risks of things including high cholesterol and cancer cell proliferation or growth. The specific fiber that helps lower our body’s cholesterol is called pectin. Pectin not only lowers cholesterol but, it could also prevent constipation. An apple also contains Quercetin. Quercetin is an all-natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant chemical found in many fruits and vegetables which includes apples. So, kind of think of it as a medicine. For example, when you are sick, eating or taking quercetin will help aid when inflamed. Also when you need to control blood sugar. Apple juice is also really tasty and refreshing, but apple juice takes out many of the fibers and benefits from an actual apple. So if you want the full benefits of an apple, eat it skin and all!

THE SPINACH

Spinach, that smooth and tasty green vegetable contains many nutritional values including Vitamin A, Vitamin K1, Calcium, and Iron. Spinach holds a special antioxidant called carotenoids. Carotenoids are crucial for improving your immune system, enhancing eye health, protection from diseases, and finally body growth. Studies have shown spinach to contain high levels of nitrate. Nitrates are compounds that usually have a benign effect. Although, the nitrates found in spinach have shown in studies that it holds the ability to sustain and lower blood pressure levels. Another benefit that spinach holds is zeaxanthin and lutein (similar to the carrot). These two antioxidants together make huge impacts on our bodies. For example, they protect our DNA, our body’s proteins, and fats. Not only are they efficient in protecting us from bad things like stressors, but they also aid in many more. They help aid in gradual aging and help fight diseases including types of cancers, Alzheimers, and diabetes.

Bibliography

Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Benefits, Dosage and Food Sources. www.healthline.com/nutrition/lutein-and-zeaxanthin.

Ocean Robbins, and Ocean Robbins. “Celery Health Benefits and Recipes.” Food Revolution Network, 25 Sept. 2019, foodrevolution.org/blog/celery-health-benefits/.

Cox, Alicia. “10 Surprising Ways Strawberries Can Benefit Your Health.” Best Health Magazine Canada, www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/health/strawberry-health-benefits/.

“Oranges: Nutrition & Health Benefits.” WebMD, WebMD, 7 July 2019,

www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-oranges.

Wright, J. V., & Larsen, L. J. (2016). Eating clean for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

“Apples.” The Nutrition Source, 22 May 2019, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/apples/.

Nagdeve, Meenakshi, et al. “Carrots: Nutrition Facts & Benefits.” Organic Facts, 31 Dec. 2019, www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/carrots.html.

Publication Date: 02-27-2020

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