Posts Tagged ‘fiber’

Chickpeas

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

CHICKPEAS
Chickpeas are small, hard beans that have a sweet taste and soothing energy. They are a staple in the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and parts of South America. Like other beans, they have cholesterol-lowering effects and are strengthening for the kidneys and bladder.

• Chickpeas Improve Circulatory Functions - In a laboratory study of the effect of diet on blood values, researchers in Spain found that eating chickpeas caused cholesterol to drop 54 percent, triacylgycerols to decrease by 70 percent, and other positive changes compared to animals fed a diet high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and casein (dairy protein).
Source: M. A. Zulet and J. A. Martinez, “Corrective Role of Chickpea Intake on a Dietary-Induced Model of Hypercholesterolemia,” Plant Foods and Human Nutrition 48(3):269-77, 1995.

• Chickpeas High in Fiber - Analyzing the fiber content of common foods, Indian scientists reported that chickpeas had the most dietary fiber (28.3 percent) of all grains, beans, and pulses tested. (The highest grain was wheat with 12.5 percent.) Cooking of dhals, the traditional curried pulse dish of South Asia, significantly increased the fiber content.
Source: P. Ramulu and P. U. Rao, “Effect of Processing on Dietary Fiber Content of Cereals and Pulses,” Plant Foods and Numan Nutrition 50(3):249-57, 1997.

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Cruciferous plants

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

CRUCIFEROUS PLANTS
The cruciferae family of plants has “crosslike” formations on its buds and includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, kale, kohlrabi, turnips, collards, mustard greens, and rutabaga. High in antioxidant (such as vitamins A and C), calcium, and dietary fiber, the cruciferous plants also include phytochemicals that are protective against cancer and other serious disease. See Broccoli, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Vegetables.

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Corn

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

CORN
Native to Central and South America, corn (or maize) is enjoyed eaten on the cob, ground into whole corn dough (masa), or made into grits, flour, or oil. Corn provides light, expansive energy and is especially strengthening for the heart and small intestine.

• Corn Protects Against Colorectal Cancer - In a case-control study on the risk of colorectal cancer, researchers at the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center reported that consumption of corn, as well as other plant-quality foods, reduced risk for this disease independent of its fiber content, which is also a protective factor.
Source: L. Le Marchand et al., “Dietary Fiber and Colorectal Cancer Risk,” Epidemiology 8(6):658-65, 1997.

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Colon cancer

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

COLON CANCER
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, accounting for 56,000 deaths each year. Consumption of foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol increase the risk for this disease. Alcohol and smoking are associated with causing polyps, benign growths in the large intestine that may become malignant. Low intake of whole grains, high in fiber, and vegetables, especially those high in folate, are also linked to colon cancer. See Broccoli, Cabbage,
Polyps, Water, Whole Grains, Women’s Health.

• Meat Raises Risk of Colon Cancer - Women who eat beef, lamb, or pork as a daily main dish are at two and a half times the risk for developing colon cancer as women who eat meat less than once a month. The conclusion, drawn from a study of 88,751 nurses, over a ten-year period, found that the more fish and poultry in the diet the less chances of getting colon cancer. “The substitution of other protein sources, such as beans or lentils, for red meat might also be associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer in populations that consume more legumes,” researchers concluded. Investigators also found that eating the fiber from fruit appeared to reduce the risk of colon cancer. The fruits mentioned as possibly protective included apples and pears.
“The less red meat the better,” recommended Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, who directed the study. “At most, it should be eaten only occasionally. And it may be maximally effective not to eat red meat at all.”
Sources: Walter C. Willett et al., “Relation of Meat, Fat, and Fiber Intake to the Risk of Colon Cancer in a Prospective Study among Women,” New England Journal of Medicine 323:1664-72, 1990 and Anastasia Toufexis, “Red Alert on Red Meat,” Time, December 24, 1990.

• Whole Grains Protective Against Colon Cancer - In a population-based case-control study of over 4000 people in California, Utah, and Minnesota, cancer researchers reported that high whole grain intake was associated with up to 60 percent less risk for this disease, while intake of refined grains increased the risk one and a half to two times. Foods high in fiber, vitamin B-6, thiamine, and niacin were also protective.
Source: M. L. Slattery, “Plant Foods and Colon Cancer; An Assessment of Specific Foods and Their Related Nutrients,” Cancer Causes Control 8(4):575-90, 1997.

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Barley

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

BARLEY
Barley, a traditional staple in Europe, the Middle East, and India, is recommended as part of balanced diet. The barley commonly available is pearl barley, a partially milled form. Whole grain barley is preferred. See Ulcer, War-Restricted Diet, Whole Grains.

• High-Fiber Barley Lowers Blood Sugar and Insulin - In a study of the effects of different types of barley and oats on blood sugar levels and insulin responses, Swedish researchers reported that high-fiber barley products produced better reactions than common refined or processed forms of the grain. The researchers recommended that high-fiber barley be included in diets for patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and those predisposed to other metabolic diseases.
Source: J. G. Liljeberg et al., “Products Based on a High Fiber Barley Genotype, But Not on Common Barley or Oats, Lower Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Responses in Healthy Humans,” Journal of Nutrition 126(2):458-66, 1996.

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