You are what you eat…by Chef Jason Roberts (“The Chew” on ABC) & His New Book Good Food–Fast!: Deliciously Healthy Gluten-Free Meals for People on the Go
This notion, theory, wives tale, or whatever you choose to call it, has been around a long long time. Grandmothers thorough milenia have admonished us to eat our carrots so we have healthy eyes. Well it also persists that these same foods, upon close examination, actually resemble the body parts they are suppose to benfit. Crazy, you say? Well lets take a look.
Carrots-Slice a carrot in half crosswise and it’s easy to see that the veggie resembles an eye and if you look closely, you’ll even notice a pattern of radiating lines that mimic the pupil and iris. Eating carrots promotes healthy eyes. They are filled with vitamins and antioxidants, like beta-carotene, that decrease the chance of macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in older people.
Walnuts-02-Walnut-BrainFoods-That-Look-Like-Body-Parts-1It’s no surprise walnuts are nicknamed “brain food.” The folds and wrinkles of a walnut look exactly like the two hemispheres of the brain. They are very high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help support brain function.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb bones-celery Stalks of celery look just like bones.
It is a great source of silicon, which is part of the molecular structure that gives bones their strength and coincidentally, bones are 23 percent sodium and so is celery. Avacado-avocado-ovaryThe shape of an avocado looks like a uterus and it supports reproductive health as well. Folic acid is good for the female uterus. Folate decreases chances of getting cervical cancer and has been found to reduce the risk for cervical dysplasia, which is a precancerous condition.
Grapefruit (Citrus)-breast-grapefruitThe similarity between round citrus fruits, like lemons and grapefruit, and breasts is more than coincidental. Grapefruit contain limonoids, which have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer in lab animals and in human breast cells.
Tomatoes-tomato. Open a tomato and you’ll notice the red veggie (fruit, actually) has multiple chambers that resemble the structure of a heart. Studies have found that because of the lycopene in tomatoes, consuming them can reduce the risk for heart disease in men and women and if you mix them with a little fat, like olive oil or avocado, it boosts your body’s lycopene absorption nearly 10 times.
Red Wine -08 -Red-Wine-BloodFoods-That-Look-Like-Body-Parts-1Rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, including powerful resveratrol, it looks like blood. It protects against destructive things in the blood, like LDL cholesterol, which can cause heart disease and there’s also a blood-thinning compound in red wine, so it reduces blood clots, which are associated with stroke and heart disase.
Ginger-09-Ginger-StomachFoods-That-Look-Like-Body-Parts-1Remember as a kid, your mom or grandma always made you drink gingerale when you had an upset stomach? Well, gingerol, which is the ingredient responsible for ginger’s pungent scent and taste, is listed in the USDA
database of
phytochemicals
as having the
ability to prevent
nausea and
vomiting.
Sweet Potato-
10-Sweet-
Potatoes-
Pancreas Foods-
That-Look-Like-
Body-
Parts- 1The sweet
potato looks very
much like the
pancreas and also
promotes healthy
function in the
organ. They are
high in beta-
carotene, which is
a potent
antioxidant that protects all tissues of the body, including the pancreas, from damage associated with cancer or aging.
Kidney Beans-kidney_beansKidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and are rich in fiber content which helps in maintaining blood sugar levels.
Olives-olive_ovaryOlives benefit the health and function of the ovaries. An Italian study found that women whose diets included a lot of olive oil had a 30% lower risk of ovarian cancer. While not known why, it is believed that the healthy fats in the oil may help suppress genes predisposed to causing cancer.
Onions-onion-cellResearch shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body’s cells. They produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. Garlic also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.
Mushrooms-mushroomear8_1Mushrooms improve hearing abilities, since they contain Vitamin D, which is healthy for bones, especially the 3 tiny bones in the ear. There are only very few foods that gives Vitamin D to us and mushroom is one among them.
Broccoli-broccoliThe tiny green tips on a broccoli head looks like 100s of cancer cells. A team of researchers at US National Cancer Institute found that a weekly serving of broccoli was enough to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 45%.
Through all the diets, plans, etc., it is nature that always provides us with the tools and foods to help us stay healthy. We just need to know where to look for these superfoods and see them in a new light. Actually, an old light, as it looks like mom and grandma were right and you really are what you eat. We hope you learned something today and that this article helps you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
A native of New Zealand, Roberts is best known for his charismatic smile and fun personality. Having grown up in a family of food professionals, he discovered a passion for food at a young age. Turning it into a career, he spent seven years as an Executive Chef of the restaurant Bistro Moncur in Sydney, where he was immersed in the traditions and techniques of French Cuisine in by his mentor, Damien Pignolet. His accolades caught the attention of Australia’s Channel 9, where he became the host of Fresh, a cooking program which aired five days a week in Australia and New Zealand. and advocate to end childhood hunger. www.chefjasonroberts.com