CARROTS – EYESSLICE a carrot and it looks just like an eye, right down
to the pattern of the iris. It’s a clear clue to the importance
this everyday veg has for vision. Carrots get their orange
colour from a plant chemical called betacarotene, which
reduces the risk of developing cataracts.
The chemical also protects against macular degeneration -
an age-related sight problem that affects one in four over-65s.
It is the most common cause of blindness in Britain.
But popping a betacarotene pill doesn’t have the same
effect, say scientists at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore
WALNUT – BRAINTHE gnarled folds of a walnut mimic the appearance
of a human brain - and provide a clue to the benefits.
Walnuts are the only nuts which contain significant
amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
They may also help head off dementia. An American
study found that walnut extract broke down the
protein-based plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found walnuts
reversed some signs of brain ageing in rats.
Dr James Joseph, who headed the study, said walnuts
also appear to enhance signalling within the brain and
encourage new messaging links between brain cells.
WINE – BLOODCHRISTIANS share red wine to symbolise the blood
of Christ, and science shows red plays an important part in
cardiovascular health. Countless studies have confirmed
that drinking red wine reduces the risk of a heart attack.
It’s thought to explain why the French have relatively
few cardiac problems, despite their high-fat diet.
Canadian scientists found that just one glass of white
makes blood vessels more "relaxed" or dilated,
which reduces the workload on the heart.
Red wine increases levels of healthy HDL cholesterol
while lowering bad LDL cholesterol.
It also helps prevent the damage LDL can do to arteries
and blocks the formation of blood clots - a key factor in stroke.
TOMATO – HEARTA TOMATO is red and usually has four chambers, just
like our heart. Tomatoes are also a great source of
lycopene, a plant chemical that reduces the risk of heart
disease and several cancers.
The Women’s Health Study — an American research
programme which tracks the health of 40,000 women —
found women with the highest blood levels of lycopene
had 30 per cent less heart disease than women who had
very little lycopene.
Lab experiments have also shown that lycopene helps
counter the effect of unhealthy LDL cholesterol.
One Canadian study, published in the journal Experimental
Biology and Medicine, said there was “convincing evidence’
that lycopene prevented coronary heart disease.
GRAPES – LUNGSOUR lungs are made up of branches of ever-smaller
airways that finish up with tiny bunches of tissue called
alveoli. These structures, which resemble bunches
of grapes, allow oxygen to pass from the lungs to the
blood stream. One reason that very premature *censored*
struggle to survive is that these alveoli do not begin to form
until week 23 or 24 of pregnancy. A diet high in fresh fruit,
such as grapes, has been shown to reduce the risk of
lung cancer and emphysema.
Grape seeds also contain a chemical called proanthocyanidin,
which appears to reduce the severity of asthma
triggered by allergy.
BEANSPROUTS – SPERMThe stir-fry favourite bears an uncanny resemblance to the
images we see of ‘swimming’ sperm trying to fertilise
an egg. And research from the US suggests they could play
an important part in boosting male fertility.
A study at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio showed that to
make healthy sperm in large quantities, the body needs a
good supply of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that
protects cells against damage by harmful molecules called
free radicals. Just half a cup of bean sprouts provides
16 per cent of the recommended daily allowance of
vitamin C for a man. It’s not just dad but baby too who
could benefit. Bean sprouts are packed with folate,
a vitamin that prevents neural tube defects, where the
baby is born with a damaged brain or spine.
CHEESE – BONESA nice ‘holey’ cheese, like Emmenthal, is not just good
for your bones, it even resembles their internal structure.
And like most cheeses, it is a rich source of calcium, a vital
ingredient for strong bones and reducing the risk of
osteoporosis later in life.
Together with another mineral called phosphate, it
provides the main strength in bones but also helps to
‘power’ muscles. Getting enough calcium in the diet
during childhood is crucial for strong bones.
A study at Columbia University in New York showed
teens who increased calcium intake from 800mg a
day to 1200mg – equal to an extra two slices of
cheddar - boosted their bone density by six per cent.
GINGER – STOMACHRoot ginger, commonly sold in supermarkets, often looks
just like the stomach. So it’s interesting that one of its
biggest benefits is aiding digestion. The Chinese have been
using it for over 2,000 years to calm the stomach and cure
nausea, while it is also a popular remedy for motion
sickness. But the benefits could go much further.
Tests on mice at the University of Minnesota found injecting
the chemical that gives ginger its flavour slowed down the
growth rate of bowel tumours.
BANANA (SMILE) – DEPRESSIONCheer yourself up and put a smile on your face by eating
a banana. The popular fruit contains a protein called tryptophan.
Once it has been digested, tryptophan then gets converted
in a chemical neurotransmitter called serotonin. This is one of
the most important mood-regulating chemicals in the brain
and most anti-depressant drugs work by adjusting levels
of serotonin production. Higher levels are associated with
better moods.
MUSHROOM – EARSlice a mushroom in half and it resembles the shape of the
human ear. And guess what? Adding it to your cooking
could actually improve your hearing. That’s because mushrooms
are one of the few foods in our diet that contain vitamin D.
This particular vitamin is important for healthy bones, even
the tiny ones in the ear that transmit sound to the brain.
BROCCOLI – CANCERClose-up, the tiny green tips on a broccoli head look like
hundreds of cancer cells. Now scientists know this disease-busting
veg can play a crucial role in preventing the disease.
Last year, a team of researchers at the US National
Cancer Institute found just a weekly serving of broccoli
was enough to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 45
per cent. In Britain, prostate cancer kills one man every hour.
***GAMBAR SENSORED***
MELONMelon has the same effect as Viagra, scientists discovered
recently. The juicy fruit is packed with citrulline, a compound
that relaxes blood vessels – just like the famous blue
pills — researchers at the North Carolina State University
have found. Blokes have always known that a nice pair of
melons can work magic when it comes to their libido.
But that’s not the only way the resemblance between food
and body parts can bolster our health.
Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:19 am by PPP BorhanDalat
Subject: Apa!!.....Kenapa ianya Penting utuk Kesihatan. 
