kale | Our Better Health

MONDAY, Nov. 26 (HealthDay News) — Many cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables are at their nutritional peak in the fall, and it’s a good time to incorporate them into your diet, a nutritional expert advises.

For example, research suggests that eating an apple a day really may keep the doctor away, by helping to prevent throat, mouth, lung and possibly breast cancer, noted Stacy Kennedy, a senior nutritionist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Apples contain a nutrient called quercetin, which protects the cell’s DNA from damage that could lead to cancer.

“The key is to eat them raw and with the skin on. That’s where many of the nutrients are found,” Kennedy said in an institute news release.

Cranberries, another healthy fall favorite, are in season and at their nutritional peak now. Kennedy suggested stocking up on bags of cranberries and freezing them for use throughout the year, because there is evidence that the benzoic acid found in these berries may inhibit lung and colon cancer, and some forms of leukemia.

Among the brightly colored fresh vegetables that are available at this time of year are beets, carrots and parsnips. Kennedy suggests serving generous portions of these.

“The brighter and richer the pigment, the higher the level of cancer-fighting nutrients,” Kennedy said.

Dark, leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts are also important, she pointed out. People who eat plenty of these vegetables have lower rates of lung, prostate and stomach cancer.

“Kale is a top choice because it’s rich in phytonutrients called indoles, which stimulate liver detoxification and help fight cancer,” Kennedy said.

Orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash and pumpkins are all packed with nutrients called carotenoids, which have been linked to the prevention of colon, prostate, breast and lung cancer, Kennedy said.

Color is key to finding cancer-fighting foods in any season, Kennedy added. “Eating a plant-based diet is the best way to help lower your risk of cancer all year long,” she said.

– Robert Preidt

SOURCE: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, news release, Nov. 16, 2012 news.health.com Healthday

October 3, 2012 By Tina Hauper

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love everything about it—from the brightly-colored foliage to the smell of sweet cider donuts—it’s a season that brings me great joy. Once that slight chill in the air arrives, I immediately start to crave all of my favorite seasonal dishes. Farmers markets and my local grocery store are bursting with fresh produce right now, so warming up in the kitchen is that much more appealing. Here are some easy and delicious ideas to get creative with this season’s produce.

Butternut squash
Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall treats (yes, treats)! It’s naturally sweet (and loaded with vitamin A and potassium), so it’s delicious mixed into baked goods (butternut squash can be substituted in pretty much any recipe that calls for pumpkin), soups, pancakes, or eaten alone with maple syrup and a sprinkle of brown sugar.

Beets
These purple-red gems are packed with iron, folic acid, and fiber. Roast or saute them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, or toss them diced and raw in your favorite salad mixture.

Apples
Apples provide two kinds of fiber (soluble and insoluble) and a whole slew of antioxidants, which protect against free radical damage, so they’re both a satisfying and healthy food. Try sauteing sliced apples and serving them with chicken or pork, or chopping them tiny and adding them to whole-grain rice.

Sweet potatoes
Did you know a medium sweet potato provides more than 438% of the daily requirement of vitamin A, which is essential to eyes, skin, bones, and teeth? And sweet potatoes are delicious in so many ways. One of my favorite ways to enjoy this spud is the simplest way: Baked Sweet Potato Wedges.

Parsnips
Parsnips are a great root vegetable but might not be the first variety you reach for. Try them roasted, baked, mashed or as parsnip “fries.” Just preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and chop one pound of parsnips into “fries.” In a large plastic zipped baggie add parsnips, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Seal the bag and shake thoroughly to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning fries every 10 minutes or so.

Kale
Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables available this time of year. It also has a number of anti-oxidant- and anti-inflammatory-related health benefits. Try raw, chopped kale tossed in olive oil as part of a salad, sauteed with red pepper flakes, or as kale chips (the perfect alternative to greasy potato chips).

Cauliflower
Packed with vitamin C, and full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients, cauliflower is quite the versatile vegetable. You’ve probably eaten it raw, roasted, or steamed, but have you tried it mashed? Here’s a quick how to: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil with 2 garlic cloves. Add head of florets and cook until tender (10-12 minutes). Drain, return to pot, mix 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 cup milk. Mash until thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

source: News.Health.com