100+ Nutrition Facts About 25 Well-Known Foods Some foods naturally contain disease-fighting, health promoting properties, while others contain elements that may hinder your health goals. Find out information that may surprise you with these helpful food facts.
Asparagus Avocado Bananas Beet Greens/Root Broccol Celery Cilantro Chicory Chinese Cabbage Dandelion Greens Fennel Green Beans Jicama
Kale Kohlrabi Mustard Greens Onions Parsley Peanut Butter Peanuts
Asparagus Asparagus is high in glutathione, an important anticarcinogen It also contains rutin, which protects small blood vessels from rupturing and may protect against radiation Asparagus is a good source of vitamins A, C and E, B-complex vitamins, potassium and zinc
Avocado Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, which is easily burned for energy. An avocado has more than twice as much potassium as a banana. For a delicious, creamy salad dressing, mix together avocado and fresh carrot juice.
Bananas You don't need to eat bananas for the potassium! (Although it is present in bananas, potassium is the predominant nutrient among most all fruits and vegetables.) Bananas are high in sugar, so they should not be eaten if you have blood sugar problems. Don't eat bananas on an empty stomach; combining them with a bit of protein will help to normalize the insulin response caused by the sugar in the banana. Green-tipped bananas are better for your health than over-ripe bananas. On a side note: Because bananas are so popular, rainforests are often destroyed to make way for banana plantations.
Beet Greens/Root Beet greens contain notable amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus They also contain vitamins A, B-complex and C Beet roots are high in carbohydrate levels and should therefore be used sparingly
Broccoli Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C of an orange It has almost as much calcium as whole milk--and the calcium is better absorbed It contains selenium, a mineral that has been found to have anti-cancer and anti-viral properties Broccoli is a modest source of vitamin A and alpha-tocopherol vitamin E It also has antioxidant properties
Celery Celery is the best vegetable source of naturally occurring sodium. It is high in potassium. The high water content in celery makes it ideal for vegetable juicing. As an easy way to reduce grains in your diet, spread peanut butter on celery rather than bread.
Cilantro Cilantro may be useful to treat urinary tract infections Both the leaves and seeds aid digestion, relieve intestinal gas, pain and distention They also treat nausea, soothe inflammation, rheumatic pain, headaches, coughs and mental stress Cilantro is a member of the carrot family
Chicory Chicory contains inulin, which helps diabetics regulate their blood sugar levels Chicory is closely related to lettuce and dandelion but is a member of the sunflower family It may be cleansing to the liver and gallbladder Chicory is beneficial for digestion, the circulatory system and the blood Chicory leaves are a good source of calcium, vitamin A and potassium
Chinese Cabbage Chinese cabbage has anti-inflammatory properties It is an excellent source of folic acid Chinese cabbage is low in calories and low in sodium It is also high in vitamin A and a good source of potassium
Dandelion Greens Dandelion is beneficial to digestion and is an antiviral that may be useful in the treatment of AIDS and herpes It may also be useful in treating jaundice, cirrhosis, edema due to high blood pressure, gout, eczema and acne Dandelion is also used to treat and prevent breast and lung tumors and premenstrual bloating Dandelion greens are high in vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoid and vitamin C They also contain calcium and potassium Dandelion root contains inulin, which lowers blood sugar in diabetics
Fennel Fennel contains the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin This herb is anticarcinogenic and can be useful for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation Fennel can be useful for indigestion and spasms of the digestive tract It also helps expel phlegm from the lungs
Green Beans Fresh beans contain vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, calcium and potassium Green beans are diuretic and may be used to treat diabetes A fresh bean should snap crisply and feels velvety to the touch
Jicama Jicama is low in sodium and high in potassium It has a slightly sweet flesh that's on the order of water chestnuts, but crunchier Due to their high carbohydrate content, they should be used sparingly
Kale Kale eases lung congestion and is beneficial to the stomach, liver and immune system It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect the eyes from macular degeneration It also contains indole-3-carbinol, which may protect against colon cancer Kale is an excellent source of calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and chlorophyll
Kohlrabi Kohlrabi, which belongs to the cabbage family, is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium It is also high in fiber Kohlrabi helps to stabilize blood sugar and is therefore useful hypoglycemia and diabetes It can also be effective against edema, candida and viral conditions
Mustard Greens Mustard greens are an excellent anticancer vegetable They may also be beneficial for colds, arthritis or depression While mustard greens sold in the United States are relatively mild in flavor, some mustard green varieties, especially those in Asia, can be as hot as a jalapeno pepper depending on their mustard oil content
Onions Onions are an excellent antioxidant, and they contain anti-allergy, antiviral and antihistamine properties. Sulfur compounds in onions help to detoxify the body. Onions aid in cellular repair. Onions are a rich source of quercetin, a potent antioxidant. To obtain the maximum nutritional benefits, onions should be eaten raw or lightly steamed.
Parsley Parsley is useful as a digestive aid It helps to purify the blood and stimulate the bowels Parsley is an anticarcinogen It contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as much iron as spinach Parsley contains vitamin A and is a good source of copper and manganese For a natural breath freshener, try a sprig of parsley!
Peanut Butter When buying peanut butter, only buy organic varieties. Non-organic peanut butters are high in pesticides and fungus and contain aflatoxin, a potent carcinogenic mold. To increase the protein in peanut butter (peanuts have about the same amount of protein as soy), Brewer's yeast can be mixed in. This is especially useful for vegetarians.
Peanuts Peanuts contain beneficial protein, but many people are allergic to them and find them hard to digest. They also contain aflatoxin, a carcinogenic, which may explain why peanut farmers have been found to have disproportionately high rates of cancer. Peanuts are high in fungus and, often, pesticides. They do not contain any omega-3, which can contribute to distorting your omega-6 mega-3 ratio. The peanut is actually a legume, not a nut (which is why they are often roasted). Peanuts contain about the same amount of protein as soy and are low in starchy carbohydrates. Did you know? George Washington Carver was largely responsible for popularizing the peanut as a food in America.
Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which is good for the prostate and building the immune system. They also contain fatty acids that kill parasites. Raw pumpkin seeds contain essential fatty acids and beneficial proteins. For maximum nutritional benefits, seeds should be eaten raw. Roasted seeds contain damaged fat that can lead to plaque in the arteries.
Radishes Radishes have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties They are a member of the cabbage family Radishes contain vitamin C, potassium and other trace minerals Grown in Egypt since at least 2780 B.C., radishes were originally black
Sweet Potato Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of carotenoid antioxidants They contain calcium, are high in vitamins A and C and contain thiamine Be careful: eating too many may cause abdominal swelling and indigestion Sweet potatoes are also high in sugar and therefore should be used sparingly Sweet potatoes are not related to the potato nor the yam--they are actually a member of the morning glory family
Tomatoes Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, flavonoids and other phytochemicals with anticarcinogenic properties Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C (the vitamin C is most concentrated in the jelly-like substance that surrounds the seeds) They also contain vitamin A and B-complex vitamins, potassium and phosphorus A tomato grown in a hothouse has half the vitamin C content as a vine-ripened tomato
Zucchini (Summer Squash) Zucchini and other summer squash varieties contain vitamins A and C They also contain potassium and calcium The flavor of zucchini is best when it is less than six inches long Zucchinis can grow as large as baseball bats but have little flavor when they reach this size
mega-3 ratio.