6 FOODS THAT NOURISH AND PROTECT YOUR BODY

A primarily plant-based diet will activate more than 500 disease-preventing genes and deactivate more than 200 disease-causing genes. Plant foods have the power to switch on the genes that create health and to switch off the genes that create cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many of the other ailments of civilization. This is what researchers know from over 30 years of clinical research at the University of California Medical Center.

Some plants are considered superfoods because of their high phytonutrient content and the high quality of the information they provide to your DNA, says medical anthropologist and author Alberto Villoldo.

“Phyto” comes from the Greek word for plant; phytonutrients, or phytochemicals, are the naturally occurring compounds in plants that protect them from bad bacteria, fungi, pests, and other invaders, and account for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other healing properties.

“Phytonutrients are the reason the tribes I met along the Amazon did not suffer from the 4 greatest maladies of modern life: cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and dementia,” Dr Villoldo revealed in a Four Winds Society blog post.

Research has shown that the more colourful a fruit or vegetable is, the richer it is in phytonutrients – and the greater its power as a superfood. Also called functional foods in scientific papers, superfoods help promote health by increasing your immune function and help in disease prevention or progression.

Although no single food – not even a superfood – can offer all the nutrition, health benefits, and energy we need to nourish ourselves, hence the need to eat a varied diet, some foods are more protective than others.

There are many natural plant-based foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that can help you live longer and healthily. Here are 6 of them.

> Cruciferous vegetables (eg: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, and turnips). They are an excellent source of fibre, vitamins, and phytochemicals including indoles, thiocyanates, and nitriles, which may prevent against some types of cancer, says Harvard Health.

> Seeds (eg: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and chia seeds) are packed with fibre and contain healthy fats. They are a nutrition powerhouse rich in heart-, bone-, muscle-, brain- and immune-supporting nutrients.

> Turmeric. It has a natural compound, called curcumin, which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. “Like other colourful plant-based foods, turmeric is rich in phytonutrients that may protect the body by neutralising free radicals (pollution, sunlight) and shielding the cells from damage,” says Mary-Eve Brown, an oncology clinical dietitian/nutritionist at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

> Avocados are low in calories and nutrient-dense – they contain 20 vitamins, minerals, fibre, and phytonutrients. Avocados are also rich in potassium, an essential nutrient that naturally lowers blood pressure (avocados have 2 times more potassium than bananas), says Mayo Clinic. They are loaded with oleic acid too that can reduce high blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels. This fruit is also packed with folate that can boost heart health.

> Nuts (eg: hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans) are a good source of plant protein. They also contain monounsaturated fats, which may be a factor in reducing the risk of heart disease.

> Berries. High in fibre, berries are naturally sweet, and their rich colours mean they are high in antioxidants and disease-fighting nutrients.