Nutrition Secrets From Around The World

Cabbage or curry for cancer prevention. Sweet potatoes for longevity. Honey to heal wounds? We’ve traveled the globe and found some unusual nutrition secrets you might want to incorporate into your next meal. They could lead to better health.  

Ireland
An underappreciated vegetable in the States, cabbage is a staple comfort food in Ireland, where it’s traditionally served with boiled bacon (corned beef and cabbage is more popular in the U.S. than the Emerald Isle). For a cancer-fighting boost, skip the bacon and corned beef and dive into a head of cabbage. Cabbage has special compounds that detoxify cancer cells and interfere with the formation of cancerous substances. Cabbage’s cousins—the cruciferous vegetables broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and turnips—are also effective disease fighters. Studies show that cruciferous vegetables may be protective against ischemic stroke, lung, breast, gastrointestinal and pancreatic cancer, cognitive decline and diabetes. Maybe all this has something to do with the luck of the Irish. 

Recipes With Cabbage:

• Cabbage-and-White-Bean Soup With Prosciutto
• Gingered Cabbage Soup With Pork and Potatoes
• Stir-Fried Chicken With Chinese Cabbage

Okinawa
People on the Japanese island of Okinawa live the longest, healthiest lives of any single group on earth. In fact Okinawa has the highest prevalence of centenarians (people older than 100) in the world. Research shows that even their arteries stay young—and their diet is one of the biggest contributing factors. 

Dr. Bradley Willcox, associate director of research on healthy aging at Pacific Health Research Institute and a co-principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, says a major secret is in their diet. “Okinawans imported delectable dietary secrets from cultures they encountered in the spice trade. They eat a type of healthy East-West fusion diet that includes fish, green and yellow vegetables, legumes (esp. tofu), small amounts of lean meats (pork), sweet potatoes and utilizes spices such as ginger and garlic.” 

Sweet potatoes are just one reason Okinawans have such young, healthy cardiovascular systems. They are loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins E and B-6, copper and fiber. Various teas and immune-boosting tonics made from turmeric, mugwort, and other herbs provide potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection.

Willcox, a clinical assistant professor in the University of Hawaii’s Department of Geriatric Medicine, says fully embracing the Okinawa diet means eating fewer calories. “Their habit of ‘hara hachi bu’ (eating until 80 percent full), regular exercise and active social lives gives Okinawans the right formula for the world’s longest healthy lifespan.”

Sweet Potato Recipes:

• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Island Kale and Sweet Potato Soup
• Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges