An Apple A Day

A close-up look at how eating the right food can help your body.

When it comes to what we eat, the proverb ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is not too far from the truth. According to the Ministry of Health dietary factors now contribute to six of the ten leading causes of death in developed countries: heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and cirrhosis of the liver. In addition, it has recently been reported that six per cent of all deaths annually in New Zealand (over 1,500) can be attributed to insufficient fruit and vegetable intake.

Just imagine what a high intake of fruit and vegetables could do for your brain, bones, eyes, heart, blood and the rest of your body! With the exception of avocado, coconut and olives, fruit and vegetables are low in fat and kilojoules (energy), which means you don’t have to restrict how much you eat.

Fruit and vegetables also contain fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (plant or fruit derived chemical compounds). Phytochemicals provide natural health benefits and create the bright, attractive colours of fruit and vegetables. There is no one ‘superfood’, but eating at least five-plus fruit and vegetables a day is both nutritious and protective. With this in mind, we’ve picked four specific parts of the body that can be positively affected by eating a variety of these superfoods.

Eyes
You may have been told as a child that eating carrots helps you see in the dark, but it looks as if fruit is better for your eyesight. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease of the retina and affects at least 20 per cent of all 65-year olds. As Eye Pro Optometrist Catherine Van Paassen advises, “To keep your eyes good all your life you need to eat a lot of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables and exercise to keep circulation in order.” Eating three or more pieces of fruit daily has been shown to reduce your risk of AMD by 36 per cent compared to those who eat less than 1.5 servings daily. There are vital nutrients in a variety of foods that can help prevent AMD.
These include:

• Zinc – oysters, turkey and pumpkin seeds
• Beta-carotene – carrots, apricots and sweet potato
• Vitamin C – oranges, kiwifruit, capsicum, broccoli and strawberries
• Vitamin E – wheat-germ, almonds and sunflower seeds
• Lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids – spinach, watercress, corn and persimmons.

Spinach as well as yellow foods (corn, egg yolks, etc.) have been shown to elevate macular pigment. The lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids in spinach are reported to be involved in preventing AMD. I would recommend a cup of steamed spinach or two cups of raw spinach most days. Blueberries are also good for the eyes. Bilberry (a cousin of blueberry) was used as a preserve on bread by World War Two fighter pilots to improve their vision on night bombing missions.

Bones
The adult human skeleton contains 206 bones, and more than half of these are found in your
hands and feet. We hear a lot about getting enough calcium and vitamin D for bone health, but there are many other nutrients that can help our bones. The mineral boron may enhance calcium absorption. Dietary sources of boron include raw avocado, peanut butter and nuts.

Sixty per cent of the body’s magnesium is found in our bones and it appears that magnesium
enhances bone quality. Good sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables (spinach), potatoes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Vitamin K helps specific bone-strengthening enzymes function optimally. Spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and cabbage are good dietary sources of this vitamin. In fact it has been reported recently that women who consume a serving (one cup raw or half a cup of cooked spinach) daily have reduced risk of hip fracture due to improved bone density.

Soy contains isoflavones (phyto-oestrogen). Theisoflavones may act as a substitute for declining oestrogen levels in post-menopausal women. The isoflavones in soy foods may also help preserve bone structure and offset osteoporosis (the thinning and weakening of bones). It’s important to note that vitamin A plays a role in bone growth, but excessive amounts can increase the breakdown of bone and interfere with vitamin D absorption.

Heart/blood
Blood accounts for approximately seven per cent of human body weight, so a 70-kilogram man has about 5.2 litres of blood, and a woman weighing 50 kilograms has about 3.3 litres.

Vitamins, minerals and electrolytes are dissolved in the blood and are carried to cells and organs around the body. It makes sense then to eat well so that optimal fuel is carried to the major pump of the body – the heart. Eating a diet high in saturated fat and salt isn’t good for the heart. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat makes your blood cholesterol levels go up – this increases your risk of heart disease. A diet high in salt raises blood pressure. Reducing your intake of saturated fat and salt are obvious ways to lower your heart disease risk, but did you know that increasing your intake of fruit, vegetables and whole grains could also be protective?

The specific fibre in oats, beta-glucan, has an enormously beneficial effect on cholesterol levels and has been shown to help prevent heart disease. In a recent study it was reported that post-menopausal women with high cholesterol who consumed whole grains (including oats) at least six times a week had less build-up of plaque on the artery walls and less narrowing of the artery passageways. Soy protein also lowers total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or ‘bad’ cholesterol. However, 25g of soy protein must be consumed daily by people with raised cholesterol before any benefit is seen. Even half a garlic clove a day has been shown to lower cholesterol levels by nine per cent, and 7.2g of aged garlic extract has been shown in in vivo (in the body) studies to have anti-clotting features as well as resulting in modest reductions in blood pressure. Garlic is also high in vitamin C (anti-oxidant), vitamin B6 (lowers homocysteine levels, which helps protect against heart disease), and selenium (anti-oxidant).

Brain
Brain cells require chemicals called neurotransmitters for communication. Neurotransmitters are made from protein building blocks called amino acids, and vitamins and minerals help in the conversion of amino acids into neurotransmitters. There are three major neurotransmitters:

1. Acetylcholine is involved with the voluntary movement of muscles, memory and behaviour.
2. Dopamine is involved in attention, learning, emotional arousal and movement.
3. Serotonin is involved in appetite, sleep and mood.

Foods rich in the three major neurotransmitters can truly be called brain food. Acetylcholine-rich foods include: egg yolk, peanuts, wheat germ, meat, fish, cheese, milk, and brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage). Dopamine-rich foods include: all protein foods – meat, fish, dairy products, legumes, nuts and soy. Serotonin-rich foods include: carbohydrate based foods – grains, cereals, fruit and vegetables. Carbohydrate enhances the absorption of an amino acid (tryptophan) which is then converted into serotonin. Eating carbohydrates will leave you feeling calm and relaxed. The brain is approximately 60 per cent fat, and omega-3 fatty acids are essential for its optimum functioning. Eating plenty of oily fish such as anchovies, salmon, sardines and mackerel will boost the omega-3 your brain gets. Flax seeds also contain omega-3. The moral of the story is eating a balanced diet including a colourful range of at least five fruit and veges everyday is still a great way to ensure good health. So do as your mum says and eat up your greens!

What to eat - the Facts:

Eyes
Oysters, turkey, pumpkin seeds, carrots, apricots, sweet potato, oranges, kiwifruit, capsicum, broccoli, strawberries, wheat-germ, almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, watercress, corn, persimmons, spinach, egg yolks, blueberries.

Bones
Avocado, peanut butter, nuts, leafy green vegetables, potatoes, seeds, whole grains, soy foods

Heart/Blood
A good mix of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, plus soy protein, garlic

Brain
Egg yolk, peanuts, wheat germ, meat, fish, cheese, milk, and brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage), meat, fish, dairy products, legumes, nuts, soy, grains, cereals, fruit and vegetables.

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