Eat Winter White Produce for Your Health
Want to eat foods that can help maintain your blood pressure, decrease the likelihood of cancer and cardiovascular disease, and help strengthen your immune system? Then eat more winter white produce such as cabbage, mushrooms, parsnips, and rutabagas. These fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals and are at their peak right now.
So read on to learn about these nutritious winter white vegetables, then head over to your supermarket to stock up on them. If it’s chilly outside, you may want to don a scarf, perhaps in winter white.
- Bananas and white potatoes are super sources of potassium which helps maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure as well as normal nerve function. They’re also a good source of Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and helps heal wounds, and Vitamin B6 which protects against heart disease. White potatoes, also contain many phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity — they protect the body’s cells from harmful free radicals. Try bananas in smoothies, oatmeal, and baked goods; try potatoes baked or roasted, or add to frittatas, soups, and stews.
- Cabbage and cauliflower, like other cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and Brussels sprouts, are high in phytonutrients that assist in the body’s detoxification process. This means that a diet high in crucifers may help rid cells of harmful carcinogens. Crucifer-rich diets have been linked to a decreased risk of breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers. Try in pastas, salads, soups, and stir-fries.
- Mushrooms are high in potassium and especially in copper which helps the body produce red blood cells. Research has shown that of seven varieties of mushrooms, the plain ‘ol white button retains the most nutrients after being cooked. Just one cup of stir-fried white button mushrooms provides about one-third of the recommended daily copper intake for adults.
- Onions and garlic are rich in allyl sulfur and other compounds that help slow the growth of tumor cells. They are also high in Vitamin C and flavonoids, cancer-fighting antioxidants. A diet rich in garlic consumption has been linked to decreased risk of stomach and prostate cancers. There is even hope that ajoene, a component of garlic, may help induce the death of cancer cells that cause basal cell carcinoma. Try on pizza and in pasta, sauces, soups, stir-fries, and stews.
- Root vegetables such as celeriac, jicama, parsnips, rutagbagas, and turnips are generally high in Vitamin C, calcium, which strengthens bones, and fiber, which both aids in digestion and has been linked to reduced coronary artery disease. Parsnips are also a good source of folate which is needed for the production and maintenance red blood cells. Try jicama in salads and slaws and other root vegetables in soups and stews.
Check out these delicious winter white recipes:
Banana Bread with Toasted Coconut and Almonds
Crispy Breaded Cauliflower with an Olive and Herb Tapenade
Thanks for the information. I was not aware that winter white produce were helpful in the fight against cancer. I think it is important to do everything we can to protect ourselves from cancers of all types.