Notable Personality Factors of Beets:

Bright, burgundy-colored beets are highly nutritious root vegetables native to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.  No matter how you look at them, beets are an upbeat food!  They inspire positivity!  Beet fans find the vegetable invigorating and uplifting — and there are plenty of reasons why.  Beets are endowed with all kinds of therapeutic benefits that keep us healthy, happy, energetic, and well!

Much like their vibrant hue, beets have a colorful history as a medicinal vegetable.  Ancient Greek and Roman cultures looked to beets to treat a variety of ailments, particularly as it related to digestive and cardiovascular conditions, while Hippocrates, the famed Greek physician, allegedly used beet leaves to help bind wounds.  Hundreds of years later, we’re continuing to learn about the unique nutritional make-up of the mighty beet that makes it a boon to our overall health and wellbeing.

Therapeutic and Healing Properties of Beets:***

So what is it that makes beets so special when it comes to uplifting our mind, body, and mood?

To begin with, the beetroot is the liver’s buddy.  More specifically, beets reduce liver stress and clear out the sludge and sediment in the liver bed and bile.  Not only does this improve the assimilation and detoxification processes of the liver, which bring the body to life and protect the body from aging and disease, but it also has a positive impact on our mood!  How so?  A healthy liver has an anti-depressant effect on the brain!  This liver-boosting, mood lifting effect of beets is enhanced by its magnesium content, which soothes the nerves, and its significant concentration of tryptophan, a serotonin supporting amino-acid that can help in stabilizing and elevating our mood.

In addition to the positive impact beets have on our mind and mood, they can also play an important role in improving our cardiovascular health and helping prevent degenerative disease.

Beets are a great source of betaine, a phytonutrient that helps lower homocysteine levels in the blood and helps protect against atherosclerosis, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease.  Meanwhile, beet greens (the greens of the beet, as opposed to the root) are a great source of antioxidants such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamin A — all of which have been shown to have powerful anti-cancer qualities.

Perhaps the most unique cancer-inhibiting compound found in beets, however, is its high concentration of betalain.  Betalain is the phytonutrient responsible for giving the beet its vibrant color and is currently being studied for its disease fighting and detoxification properties.

While beets and their greens can be very supportive to our overall health and wellbeing, beet greens are not recommended for those with a history of kidney stones, due to measurable amounts of oxalic acid that can contribute to stone formation for those at high risk.

It’s also important to note that around 10-15% of the population cannot breakdown certain pigments in beets.  While this is not considered harmful it can result in a reddening of the urine.

Additional Nutritional Benefits of Beets:

In addition to the nutrients mentioned above, beets are also a good source of minerals and trace minerals, such as manganese, potassium, magnesium, and iron.  They are an excellent source of folate and a respectable source of other B-Vitamins such as niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.

Selection and Care of Beets:

Judge a beet by the freshness of its greens.  Choose young roots with upright, frond-like tops, and look for purple-red beets that are firm, symmetrically shaped, and smooth.  Avoid soft, dull-colored beets.  Scrub beets well, and shred or pare the thin outer skin before eating or cooking.

Optimal Use and Combining:

Beets add a hearty snap to leafy green salads, and, from an aesthetic perspective, a pleasing punch of color to mixed vegetable plates—combined with green celery, red tomatoes, and orange carrots, for example.  From a therapeutic point of view, beets are most effective when eaten raw, as part of a salad, or mixed in to a fresh vegetable juice.  Carrot-celery-beet juice really cleans out the liver.  Beets can also be steamed and make an excellent side dish with lunch or dinner.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors of Artichokes:

The personality and character of the artichoke is best explained by its origin: The vegetable comes from the majestic Mediterranean, primarily the south of Spain, France, and Italy.  These three great cultures represent the essence of the artichoke, which symbolizes warmth, relaxation, and luxury like that which is found along the Cote d’Azur.  With such an association, artichokes can’t help but bring pleasure to any meal.  In addition to their culinary qualities, they are also endowed with a unique set of nutritional and therapeutic benefits — particularly when it comes to the liver.

Therapeutic and Healing Properties of Artichokes:***

Folklore has it that the artichoke acts as a safety valve for the liver.  Physicians in ancient Mediterranean cultures alleged that the beloved vegetable buffered the liver against the ill effects of alcohol, and recommended that it always accompany the consumption of red wine.  It turns out that they were right!  In the 1970’s, scientists discovered that the active ingredient in the artichoke was cynarin, a caffeylquinic acid.  Cynarin has been shown to regulate the biliary “tree”— the network of ducts through which bile, after being excreted by the liver, flows into the gallbladder.  Because artichokes have a positive influence on the movement of bile, they do, in fact, shelter the liver from toxins, stress, damage, and aging.

It’s also important to point out that cynarin, along with other powerful phytonutrients found in artichokes, can be helpful in lowering cholesterol.  Not only do artichokes reduce the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver but they also increase the breakdown and excretion of cholesterol through the bile.  In this manner, artichokes have a two-pronged attack in helping the body manage excess cholesterol levels.

Additional Nutritional Benefits of Artichokes:

Artichokes are rich in a starchy carbohydrate called inulin, which has minimal impact on blood sugar and is therefore considered suitable for diabetics and others with blood sugar related illnesses.  Artichokes are also a good source of minerals—such as copper, potassium, calcium, iron, and manganese—and provide several important b-vitamins, such as folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.

Selection and Care of Artichokes:

Layers of dark green leaves and bracts (scales) encircle the soft, juicy heart at the center of the vegetable.  Look for consistently colored vegetables that have compact, tight-fitting bracts.  The best way to prepare an artichoke is to steam it.  The scales can then be plucked off and dipped into your spread or seasoning of choice.

Optimal Use and Combining of Artichokes:

Since artichokes are a starchy vegetable, they do not go well with other starches, such as bread, rice, or potatoes.  Instead, eat your steamed artichoke with other veggies, vegetable soup, and / or a fresh green salad.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors of Onions:

Due to their pungent odor, sharp taste, and tear-inducing ability, onions are the cause of much controversy.  It’s a love-hate thing.  There are those that admire the onion for its strength, and those who despise it for the exact same reason.  Looking back in history, however, the sentiment has been mostly love—whether it was for its culinary, therapeutic, or even spiritual properties.  Take the ancient Egyptians, for example, who worshipped the onion and believed it was a symbol of eternal life!  Like garlic, its fellow bulbous veggie, the onion is part of the Allium family of vegetables and is rich in sulfur-containing compounds that deliver a pungent punch, along with a healthy dose of nutritional and therapeutic benefits!

Therapeutic and Healing Properties of Onions:***

In many ways, the onion’s therapeutic properties are similar to garlic.  They protect the heart, bolster the body’s defenses against cancer, and are helpful in fighting off infections.  This is due in large part to their unique concentration of allicin—a health promoting, organosulfur compound—and their rich source of anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-viral flavonoids such as quercitin.

Perhaps the ancient Greek athletes, who ate onions in large quantities because they believed it lightened the balance of their blood, had it right all along.  Hundreds of years later we’ve been able to confirm that onions indeed “lighten up” the blood—they can help lower blood cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and lower blood pressure alike.  In this manner, onions can be a strong ally to healthy blood chemistry, a healthy cardio-vascular system, and a healthy heart.

Onions are also considered to be a natural anti-biotic and are great for aiding in upper respiratory complications.  Their sharp, spicy taste tends to clear out the sinuses, and onion-based soup has long been considered a folk remedy for sore throats, tonsillitis, and the common cold.  Meanwhile, raw onion relaxes the bronchial muscles, which makes it a useful food in the treatment of asthma.

Additional Nutritional Benefits of Onions:

In addition to being an excellent source of allicin and quercitin, onions are a good source of vitamin C, folate, vitamin B-6, and many health promoting minerals such as molybdenum, manganese, and potassium.

Selection and Care of Onions:

Soft, damp onions are usually spoiled, and have lost their flavor.  Choose firm bulbs—yellow, green, or red-skinned—according to personal preference (although red onions are less acidic than other varieties).  When preparing onions, peel the outermost layers under cold running water—this will help prevent crying in the kitchen.  Try not to over-peel as a large concentration of the antioxidants and flavonoids are found in the outer layers.

Optimal Use and Combining of Onions:

Mild onions are best eaten raw, minced, or sliced in salads or sandwiches.  Stronger varieties can be baked, boiled, broiled, or steamed.  Onions can be used as a seasoning in small quantities to flavor all kinds of entrees, salsas, dressings, and sauces.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors:

Remember Popeye’s relationship with spinach? Pow!  That’s the spinach personality—its potent nutritional profile packs a serious punch!  It animates, invigorates, and energizes.  The wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients found in spinach enliven the metabolism, embolden the immune system, and empower the mind and body with the life-giving nutrients they need to counteract the forces of fatigue, aging, and illness.  Spinach is thought to have originated in Persia and has long been considered a medicinal vegetable.

Therapeutic & Healing Powers:***

Like other dark, leafy-green vegetables, spinach plays a multifaceted role in building, fortifying, and sustaining your long-term health and well-being.  It’s anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, heart-protecting, bone-boosting, blood-building characteristics make it a nutritional stand out for energizing the body and building your internal defense mechanisms against disease.

So what is it about the mighty spinach leaf’s nutritional profile that makes it so special?

To begin with, spinach has been endowed with a powerful combination of cancer-fighting compounds that work in various ways to protect the body from this dangerous disease.  It’s one of the richest sources of vitamin A in the plant-kingdom—an important nutrient for neutralizing free-radicals in the fatty tissues of the body—and is also a good source of the well-known antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E.  In addition, spinach is chock-full of carotenoids and flavonoids that boost the immune system and have been shown to have protective effects against cancer.

While the anti-cancer qualities of spinach are impressive, the benefits of spinach on the blood are just as notable!  The phytonutrients in spinach work to reduce inflammation and protect blood vessels, the soluble fiber works to lower cholesterol, and the significant iron content—one of the most concentrated sources of iron in the leafy-green kingdom—bolsters the blood and is an important nutrient in red blood cell production.

Nutrient Value:

In addition to the nutrients mentioned above, spinach is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids; bone-building vitamin K; B-complex vitamins such as folate, vitamin B-1, and vitamin B-2; and health-promoting minerals such as manganese, magnesium and potassium.

It’s important to note, however, that spinach is not recommended for those with a history of kidney stones, since the vegetable’s high oxalic acid concentration can contribute to stone formation.

Selection and Care:

Spinach spoils quickly: Select leaves based on their crispness and brilliant emerald green color.  Avoid coarse, wilted, limp, or yellow leaves, or those with blackening edges.  Spinach shrinks significantly when cooked, so what seems like a large amount usually isn’t.  For example, a pound will yield three generous servings.  Buy accordingly.  Store spinach in tight containers in the fridge.  Do not wash until ready to use.

Optimal Use & Combining:

Spinach is most nutritious when eaten raw and goes well with chopped mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, and other leafy greens as part of a tossed salad.  But it can also be steamed.  The steamed leaves can accent pasta, brown rice, lentils, and even baked potatoes.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors:

Garlic’s reputation as a miracle cure goes back to antiquity.  Bulbs decorated the walls of Egyptian tombs dating from 3000 B.C., presumably as part of some religious ritual.  Hippocrates and Plato praised garlic for its medicinal properties, and folklore refers to it as the remedy for warding off everything from parasitic infections to vampire attacks.  As part of the Allium family of vegetables (along with onions and leeks), garlic is known as much for its culinary qualities and distinctive aroma as it is for its therapeutic benefits.  Today, garlic is grown worldwide, and used to season all sorts of dishes.

Therapeutic & Healing Powers:***

More so than almost any other vegetable, it’s tough to separate fact from fiction when it comes to defining garlic’s therapeutic properties.  In general, however, most agree that garlic’s nutritional benefits fall into three fundamental categories.

Cardiovascular: One of the most impressive benefits brought to us by the mighty garlic plant is the impact it has on cardiovascular health.  Allicin, along with other health-promoting compounds found in garlic, have been shown to help lower total cholesterol and reduce triglycerides in the blood. This, in turn, supports healthy blood chemistry and helps protect against hardening of the arteries — and that’s just the beginning!  Garlic helps thin the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots, thereby decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and naturally lowers blood pressure by increasing the elasticity of blood vessels.  Considering its cholesterol-lowering, triglyceride reducing, anti-clotting, anti-hypertensive effects, garlic has a well-deserved reputation for promoting a healthy heart.

Anti-Infectious: Despite all of the cardiovascular benefits, garlic is best known for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal characteristics.  Garlic has been called the “Russian Penicillin,” based on its anti-bacterial properties; the Japanese have popularized kyolic, a liquid extract of cold-processed garlic, as a treatment for bacteria and viruses; and a wide array of plant compounds in garlic have been shown to have anti-fungal activities as well.  Whether it’s protecting the body against bacteria, viruses, or fungi, garlic’s anti-infectious properties help fortify the immune system and defend against all kinds of outside intruders.

Anti-Cancerous: In addition to supporting heart health and warding off infections, garlic is being linked more and more to lower risks of all types of cancers.  Garlic is rich in anti-cancer compounds that are being studied for their ability to inhibit cancer growth and protect the body against dangerous carcinogens.

Nutrient Value:

Garlic is rich in health-promoting sulfur compounds, such as allicin, which are largely responsible for its therapeutic benefits, its distinctive taste, and its sharp odor. It’s an excellent source of minerals — such as manganese, selenium, and calcium — and is also a good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

Selection and Care:

Look for firm bulbs with tightly packed cloves encased in thin, papery skin.  Avoid garlic that has begun to sprout, or that is graying, soft, and decaying in spots.

Optimal Use & Combining:

Roasted or raw garlic adds a flavorful and therapeutic punch to almost anything: mashed potatoes, pasta, salad dressings, soups.  It can even be used as a spread on whole grain bread (in its roasted form)!  Make sure to chop or crush the garlic, particularly before heating, as this activates enzymatic processes that convert the health-promoting compounds found in garlic into a form that is usable by the body.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors:

Within the leafy green kingdom, romaine lettuce rules!  Its disease-fighting, anti-aging, energy-enhancing, and immune-boosting qualities make it a nutritional standout for keeping you vital, youthful, healthy, happy, and well!

In addition to helping prevent unnecessary aging and illness, the great romaine has a centuries-old reputation as a healer and has been revered throughout ancient cultures and civilizations for its medicinal properties.  Romaine lettuce originated in the Mediterranean, and at various times Greek, Roman, and French physicians prescribed it for a variety of ailments.  Interestingly enough, one of the staunchest supporters of romaine lettuce was Caesar, the Roman emperor, who credited the leafy green vegetable for his recovery from several ailments and even erected a statue in its honor.

It’s important to note that romaine lettuce’s higher concentration of nutrients gives it a therapeutic edge over other forms of lettuce.  In general, the darker the leaf, the greater the nutritional value.  That’s why bitter greens such as spinach and arugula also make a powerful dietary impact, whereas milder forms of lettuce, such as butter-head or iceberg, are less nutritious.

Therapeutic & Healing Values:***

Due to its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and chlorophyll, romaine lettuce is a nutritional staple for healing and the prevention of disease.  Its unique combination of life-giving nutrients helps activate the body’s ability to:

• Self-defend—and protect us from disease;
• Self-repair—and counteract the forces of stress, aging, and illness; and
• Self-revitalize—and keep us vital, energetic, and full of life

So what are the nutrients that make romaine lettuce so special?

• It’s a vitamin A and vitamin C powerhouse, which boost the immune system, help support cardio-vascular health, and protect against all kinds of cancer, including cancer of the colon, rectum and intestines.
• It’s rich in immune enhancing and free-radical combating carotenoids—such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
• It’s high in fiber, and is a central aid in waste elimination and protecting the body from nutritional toxins and pollutants.
• It’s highly alkaline, which makes it a liver friendly food and helps purify and cleanse vital organs and bodily fluids.
• It’s rich in folate, an important b-vitamin for synthesizing and repairing DNA and lowering risk for many diseases such as breast cancer

Meanwhile, romaine lettuce also bolsters the blood, helps prevents anemia, increases your resistance to the common cold and flu, and helps fight off infections.

Nutrient Value:

In addition to the vitamins and antioxidants mentioned above, romaine lettuce is also a good source of minerals—such as iron, potassium, molybdenum, manganese, and calcium—omega-3 fatty acids, and several B vitamins (B-1, B-2, B-6).

Selection and Care:

Romaine lettuce should be crisp, leafy, and firm.  It stands up straight.  Examine the head for wilted leaves, rotting, or discolored edges, all of which are signs of spoilage.  The average-sized head of lettuce yields four large salad servings.  Wash lettuce well by removing and rinsing one leaf at at time with cool water, and store unused portions in the refrigerator.

Optimal Use and Combining:

To maximize the nutritional and therapeutic value of romaine lettuce, it’s best to eat it fresh and raw. Romaine makes a great base for any green salad.  It mixes well with other lettuces and with yellow, orange, red, purple, and green veggies for a crunchy, tasty, salad.  By emphasizing romaine lettuce in at least one vegetable salad a day, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the health benefits that this staple vegetable has to offer.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors:

Despite being one of the top 5 most cultivated vegetables in the world, the cucumber doesn’t get a whole lot of attention—but don’t expect it to get upset about it.  Even though it hails from the tropics, the “cuke” is the quintessential king of cool.  Just like the old adage “cool as a cucumber” implies, cucumbers have a cooling, soothing effect on the mind and body.  Its juicy flesh calms overheated nerves, its mild flavor refreshes the palate, and its unique combination of minerals and phytonutrients work to balance your body chemistry.  It may not be the flashiest vegetable in the plant kingdom, but its nutritional and therapeutic values should not be overlooked.

Therapeutic and Healing Values:***

One of the first things you notice when you bite into a cucumber is its water content.  In addition to being refreshing, the watery pulp can be helpful in flushing unwanted toxins out of the system, regulating bodily fluids, and cleansing the blood.

Another important characteristic of the cucumber is its mineral composition.  Cucumbers are low in sodium, high in potassium, and high in magnesium—a powerful trio that promotes proper mineral balance in the body and has been linked to lower rates of stroke and other cardiovascular disease.  Interestingly enough, the magnesium content of the cucumber also helps settle the nerves and contributes to the cucumber’s overall soothing effect.

In addition, cucumbers are a good source of flavonoids, lignans, and many other phytonutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.  These health promoting compounds play an important role in protecting the body from toxins, stress, and free-radicals that can damage healthy cells and tissues and contribute to aging and disease.  Other antioxidants found in cucumbers include vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese.

Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamin K, an important nutrient for bone health, and are also a good source of silica, a mineral essential to the growth and protection of connective tissue, skin, nails, and hair.

Nutrient Value:

In addition to the antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals listed above, cucumbers are a good source of energy-enhancing pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5).  Cucumbers also contain erepsin, an enzyme that improves protein digestion, along with other minerals and trace elements.

Selection and Care:

Cucumbers should be firm and consistently colored, with medium to dark green, unwaxed skin.  Shriveling and yellowness are signs that a cucumber is past its prime.

Optimal Use and Combining:

Due to its mild taste, raw cucumber complements most vegetables, including leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and carrots.  In addition, raw cucumber with watercress and jicama makes a refreshing spring or summer salad.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors:

Carrots are energy foods.  They animate, activate, and embolden the life-giving processes of the body that keep us vital, youthful, and well.  Carrots revitalize the master glands that enliven our mind, body, and mood; strengthen immune function and increase our body’s resistance to aging and disease; and shelter our vital systems from the ongoing wear and tear of daily living.

In their early incarnation, these root vegetables were unpleasant tasting and purple-black in color.  It wasn’t until the 16th century that the sweeter, more appealing orange carrots were cultivated—thanks to Dutch horticulturists.  In the world of clinical nutrition, it’s easy to root for the modern version of this nutrient-rich root.  It’s full of nutritional and therapeutic values that help us build, maintain, and protect our long-term wellbeing.

Therapeutic & Healing Powers:*

Carrots are considered to be an anti-cancer vegetable.  In fact, they are so rich in cancer-fighting compounds that they have the distinction of having their own antioxidant named after them—beta carotene!  Beta-carotene is a powerful plant compound from the carotenoid family of antioxidants that has been shown to help lower risk for lung cancer and other smoking related cancers (this applies to eating beta-carotene rich foods, such as carrots, not beta-carotene supplements**).  Studies have suggested that beta-carotene may also be helpful in preventing skin, breast, prostate, and other cancers.  It is also important to note that in addition to beta-carotene, carrots provide a wide array of anti-cancer compounds—such as lutein and polyacetylenes—that further equip the body to combat and prevent cancer.

In addition to their cancer-inhibiting qualities, studies have shown that carrots support a healthy heart and help prevent cardiovascular disease.  Carrots help purify the blood, protect the cardiovascular system from antioxidant damage, and are currently being studied for their anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet-aggregatory properties.

And that’s just the beginning!  In my experience, I’ve found that:

• Carrot, carrot-celery, and carrot-celery-beet juice are all excellent tonics that help combat liver stress and detoxify the liver.

• The carrot’s fiber content helps regulate the bowels and, when steamed, can be helpful in treating diarrhea.

• Carrots help revitalize the thyroid and adrenal glands, and in so doing, help combat fatigue, stress, and burnout.

• Carrots are helpful in preventing upper respiratory infections and inflammatory lung problems.

With all of these nutritional and therapeutic benefits, it makes sense to add carrots to your daily or weekly routine.

Nutrient Value:

As mentioned above, carrots are a rich source of beta-carotene and other cancer fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients.   Since beta-carotene can be converted into vitamin A (as needed) by the body, carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A.  They are also a good source of many B vitamins, vitamin C, soluble and insoluble fiber, and important minerals such as potassium and calcium.

Selection and Care:

Select firm, smooth roots. Avoid carrots that are rubbery, wrinkled, or split.  Carrot greens should be bright and upright.

Optimal Use and Combining:

Raw carrots add color, taste, and crunch to leafy green salads and mix especially well with romaine lettuce, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous veggies. In addition, don’t forget about carrots when putting together some healthy snacks at parties.  Try combining fresh carrots with cruciferous vegetables for an anti-cancer crudités plate and add a side of salsa and guacamole for dipping!  When juicing, carrots taste great alone or combined with celery and beets.

*This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

**Whereas beta-carotene consumed as part of a whole food, such as a carrot, has been shown to lower lung cancer risk, some studies have shown that high doses of beta-carotene supplements have actually increased lung cancer risk.  For this reason, it’s best to get your beta-carotene by eating beta-carotene rich foods, not by consuming beta-carotene supplements.

Notable Personality Factors:

In our last post we crowned broccoli the “King of Cruciferous Veggies.”  This week we turn our attention to red cabbage, the “Queen of Cruciferous.”  Although cabbage is not quite as popular as broccoli — its royal cruciferous counterpart — the disease-fighting faculties of red cabbage (and cabbage in general) should not be overlooked.  In fact, I like to think of red cabbage as a longevity food.  It’s full of revitalizing phytonutrients and cancer combating antioxidants that protect the mind and body from aging and disease.  Interestingly enough, these same nutrients that fortify our defenses against unnecessary aging and illness are also responsible for the plant’s vibrant reddish / purple pigment — nature’s way of grabbing our attention and helping us identify nutrient-rich foods full of nutritional and therapeutic benefits.

Therapeutic and Healing Powers:***

Like all cruciferous veggies, cabbage is best known for combating cancer.  The cabbage plant, and red cabbage in particular, is full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients such as indoles and isothiocyanites that block cancerous cells from forming and help eliminate dangerous carcinogens from the body.

As an added benefit, red cabbage is also an excellent source of polyphenols.  Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that protect the body against free radicals, accelerated aging, and disease.  Not only are polyphenols known for their preventive effects on cancer, but they are also being studied for their role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and neurodegenerative diseases.

It’s also important to note that red cabbage is a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C — two important antioxidants that boost the immune system and increase the body’s cancer-fighting capacity.  Red cabbage has a nutritional edge over green cabbage in that red cabbage is a more concentrated source of polyphenols, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

In addition to helping prevent cancer, red cabbage is a great food for the detoxification and elimination of harmful chemicals and hormones found in food, water, and air pollutants.  The vegetable’s waste removing abilities are particularly beneficial to the liver, the digestive tract, and the colon.

Nutrient Value:

In addition to the wide range of phytonutrients and antioxidants mentioned above — namely the isothiocyanites, indoles, polyphenols, vitamin A, and vitamin C — red cabbage is a great source of fiber, vitamin K, and many B-vitamins such as folate, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6.  It’s also a notable source of potassium, calcium, and a variety of other minerals that are essential for your health.

Selection and Care:

Select fresh, firm, crisp cabbages with compact heads, heavy for their size, and tightly wrapped leaves free of discoloration at the edges.

Optimal Use and Combining:

Red cabbage is a colorful, crunchy, and nutritious addition to any vegetable salad.  In fact, adding red cabbage to your salad is a great way to make sure you have a wide variety of colors represented — a good indication that you are getting a plentiful supply of immune-boosting phytonutrients and antioxidants.  Cabbage, cauliflower, and the rest of the cruciferous family mix well with beets, carrots, leafy greens, and other root vegetables.  It’s best to eat red cabbage raw (or if you are going to cook it, steamed) to preserve the full range of life-giving nutrients.

***This article is not intended to treat or diagnose any type of health condition or disease. Any nutritional considerations for any health complication should be discussed with your physician or healthcare provider.

Notable Personality Factors:

Among cruciferous vegetables — and the plant kingdom as a whole — broccoli is king!  A “crown” of this nutrient-rich super-veggie is packed with cancer-fighting compounds, stress-fighting phytonutrients, and essential vitamins and minerals that keep your body energized, fresh, and alive.  In fact, I like to think of broccoli as the ultimate “ready” food.  It activates the brain, enlivens the nervous system, and bolsters the adrenals.  In this manner, it makes sure that the mind and body are prepared to deal with whatever physical or emotional demands are at hand.

Therapeutic and Healing Powers:

As a member of the cruciferous family — which also includes veggies such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, and turnips — broccoli is best known for its anti-cancer characteristics.  So what is it about broccoli that helps protect against cancer?  For starters, it’s naturally endowed with powerful cancer-inhibiting compounds, such as isothiocyanates, that bolster the body’s defense against dangerous carcinogens.   Isothiocyanates, for example, play an important role in neutralizing, counteracting, and removing cancer-causing carcinogens from the body.

Meanwhile, some of the other phytonutrients found in broccoli, such as sulforaphane, are known for identifying, attacking, and destroying cancerous cells.  It’s important to point out that they’re able to do this without damaging healthy cells!  But that’s just the beginning.  Broccoli is also a nutritional powerhouse when it comes to vitamin A and vitamin C — two potent anti-oxidants that boost the body’s immune system and help defend against damaging free-radicals.  Given all of these anti-cancer qualities, it’s no wonder that diets rich in cruciferous vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk for all kinds of cancer including breast, lung, esophageal, and prostate cancer.

In addition to building your body’s cancer-fighting capacity, broccoli is a highly alkaline green vegetable that is good for the liver, kidneys, and spleen.  I’ve also found steamed broccoli to be useful in boosting the adrenal glands and alleviating fatigue (thanks, in part, to the adrenal building powers of its pantothenic acid).  Its energizing capacity helps counter stress, depression, and metabolic burnout.

Nutrient Value:

In addition to all of the phytonutrients and antioxidants mentioned above, broccoli is a great source of fiber and is chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals.  It’s an excellent source of B vitamins — particularly folate, which is necessary for synthesizing and repairing DNA and has been shown to lower breast cancer risk — and is a notable source of vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B6.  It’s rich in potassium, blood-boosting iron, and many other minerals that help maintain biochemical balance in the body.

Selection and Care:

Choose dark green broccoli.  Buds should be tightly closed.  Florets that have begun to soften and yellow are no longer ripe.  Look for fresh green leaves and firm stalks.  Broccoli can be steamed or enjoyed raw.

Optimal Use and Combining:

Given all of its nutritional benefits, I encourage my patients to eat cruciferous veggies, such as broccoli, four to five times a week, if not daily!  Broccoli can be eaten raw with your vegetable salad or can be steamed as a side dish with your lunch or dinner.  It also adds a wonderful crunch to pasta primavera and makes a tasty partner for a baked potato.