Red potato’s cancer preventing properties
Potatoes are one of the richest sources of starch, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. 100g provides 70 calories, however, they contain very little fat (just 0.1 g per 100g) and no cholesterol. The dietary fiber in potato increases the bulk of the stool, thus, it helps prevent constipation, decrease absorption of dietary cholesterol and there by lower plasma LDL cholesterol. Additionally, the rich fiber content also helps protect from colon polyps and cancer. Potato is considered a reliable source of carbohydrates in diabetics. Fresh potato along with its skin is a good source of antioxidant and vitamins. Red potatoes contain a good amount of Vitamin A, and antioxidant flavonoids like carotenes and zeaxanthins. A recent study suggests that flavonoid antioxidant, quercetin present in potatoes contain anti-cancer and cardio-protective properties.
Wonderful walnuts
In a study published in Diabetes Care, a Yale University team of researchers asked men and women with type 2 diabetes to eat approximately 60g of walnuts daily for two months. At the end of the test period, the subjects’ endothelial function (blood vessel tone) was measured and was found to have improved significantly.
This is a particularly important finding for diabetics because endothelial cells, which form the lining of the inside of blood vessels, are one of the most vulnerable parts of the body for developing vascular disease.
The researchers suggest walnuts’ higher levels of alpha-linolenic acid — which also slows arterial plaque formation — may also be involved in the toning effect. And, happily, none of the study participants reported any weight gain as a result of eating walnuts.
Selenium against cancer
Now a very large study from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre of over 20,000 people, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, suggests that a less well-known mineral, selenium, is also strongly associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer.
This effect was most pronounced in women — overall, people with a high dietary intake of selenium were about one-third less likely to develop bladder cancer; but in women, that rate of protection climbed to 45 percent, therefore nearly halving their risk. The researchers concluded that selenium’s beneficial effect is due to selenoproteins, enzymes which prevent cellular damage.
Make sure your selenium levels stay optimal by regularly eating the following foods: Brazil nuts, wheat germ, yeast, kidneys, liver, tuna and other oily fish, shellfish, sunflower seeds, lentils, and cashew nuts.