As the saying goes, we are what we eat.
But can we cure our diseases with food?
From improving bone health and vision to relieving headaches and colds, vitamin-packed superfoods will solve it all.
While there are no “magic or miracle foods,” some of them can combine to provide a natural health boost, experts say.
Here, MailOnline takes a closer look at 10 “superfoods” to see what makes them so good for us.
From sardines for bone health and milk for eyesight to kale for blood clotting and coffee for headaches, there are vitamin-packed foods that can help.
Sardines for bone health
Sardines may be small, but the oily fish is packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
A 100g portion of fish, which can be fresh or canned, contains 3g – making it one of the richest sources of healthy fat.
Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of bone fractures and reduce bone loss.
The braai is also packed with vitamin D, with 4 micrograms (mcg) per 100g portion – around a third of the recommended daily allowance.
This essential vitamin is essential for bone health. It regulates the levels of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
And the fish bones are packed with calcium, which further increases bone strength, according to nutritionist Dr. Duane Mellor from Aston University in Birmingham.
Experts say that if you eat the bones of sardines, you can benefit from the small fish’s calcium content, which is also good for bone strength
Coffee for headache
In moderation, coffee can relieve a headache by constricting blood vessels in the brain.
This is because the pain of a headache can be caused in part by the swelling of the blood vessels around your brain.
According to the 2008 journal Clinical Massage in the Healthcare Setting, this causes a change in blood flow that can lead to headaches.
However, according to a 2009 study published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, caffeine was found to reduce blood flow to the brain by 27 percent.
So, theoretically, the effect of coffee on your blood flow could help relieve your headache.
Garlic for colds
The smelly but tasty plant has been hailed as a so-called superfood because of its immune-boosting properties.
Researchers have shown that garlic can help get rid of your runny nose and sore throat.
Garlic contains a bioactive organosulfur compound that can improve your immune system, according to a 2012 American study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.
The study found that those who consumed “aged garlic extract” had fewer cold and flu symptoms and felt sick for fewer days than those who ate the placebo.
Another 12-week study from 2001 found that those taking a daily garlic supplement had 63 percent fewer colds compared to a placebo group.
Kale for cuts
Excessive bleeding from even a small cut is a sign that you are not eating your vegetables.
Kale contains a lot of vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting. It contains about 40mcg per 100g – about half a woman’s daily intake and a third that of a man.
If you don’t get enough, you’re more likely to bleed and bruise.
“Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and perhaps also for bone health. Deficiencies are rare because they can also be caused by the bacteria in our colon,” said Dr. Mellor to MailOnline.
He added: “This can cause problems if someone has a clotting disorder, as people taking paraffin need a constant supply of vitamin K, otherwise it can affect the effectiveness of their treatment.”
Although kale contains a significant amount of vitamin K, according to Dr. Mellor not much more so than other leafy greens.
So if you’re not a big fan of the vegetable, broccoli is just as good, he added.
The leafy greens contain a lot of vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting
apple for your gut
Apples are packed with fiber and can do wonders for your gut.
Like many fruits and vegetables, apples contain a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber.
It is this high level of soluble fiber that can relieve constipation.
Dr Mellor said: “Apples contain a type of carbohydrate pectin that escapes our digestive system but is broken down by the bacteria in our colon which acts as a prebiotic to support gut health.”
But it’s not just apples that do this job. A varied diet with fruit and vegetables also contributes to gut health.
Dr Mellor said: “To maintain a healthy mix of gut bacteria (microbiome) it is important to eat a variety of different foods, including vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts and legumes.”
Bananas for gut health
Bananas are another fruit packed with essential vitamins, including potassium.
But green bananas may be even better for our gut.
Resistant starch passes through your small intestine undigested and then feeds the friendly bacteria in the colon, which can help fight diarrhea.
This is because less ripe bananas, like apples, contain a type of carbohydrate that we can’t digest, but the colon can.
Dr. Meloor explains, “It’s called resistant starch because unlike other starches, we can’t digest it easily. It is also found in cooked and cooled pasta and rice.
“Consumption of resistant starch from less-ripe bananas along with other sources is linked to a lower risk of certain cancers.”
milk for your vision
Not only carrots are good for eyesight, milk also has properties that can help our eyes.
Whole milk contains vitamin A, an anti-inflammatory agent that supports eye and vision health. However, skimmed milk contains very little of this fat-soluble vitamin.
If you are deficient in vitamin A, you can go blind, hence the myth that you eat enough carrots.
However, most people get enough of this vitamin as it is also found in many other vegetables.
Dr. Mellor said: “It is also found in eggs and waste as vitamin A and beta-carotene (which our bodies can convert into vitamin A) in green leafy vegetables, peppers and tomatoes (and of course carrots). ).’
But the vitamin is not only good for our eyes, it is also essential for healthy skin.
Dr. Mellor said: “It is responsible for the formation of new cells and a deficiency can lead to thickened and dry skin.
“Because it can be obtained directly from animal foods as vitamin A and can be made from plant carotenes, a deficiency is usually not a problem for anyone eating a varied diet.”
Ginger has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of nausea. Studies have shown that it can help pregnant women and people undergoing chemotherapy
Ginger for nausea
Ginger can be the cure for morning sickness, experts say.
The root has been found to significantly reduce symptoms of nausea.
That’s according to a 2014 review published in Nutrition Journal, which looked at 12 studies involving 1,278 pregnant women. It has been found that 1.1 to 1.5 grams of ginger can reduce nausea.
The herb is also believed to reduce chemotherapy-related nausea and help people undergoing certain types of surgery.
Ginger’s health benefits come primarily from the bioactive component gingerol and related compounds called shogaol, which give it its characteristic flavor.
Gingerols and shogaols work by blocking the effects of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and serotonin in the body, explains a 2014 study published in the Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology.
It adds that acetylcholine causes involuntary stomach contractions, while serotonin can stimulate the gag reflex.
As a result, ginger blocks the effects of acetylcholine and serotonin, which can help relieve nausea.
Potatoes for leg cramps
If you regularly suffer from muscle spasms and spasms, sweet potatoes may be the remedy you are looking for.
Potassium can help the body fight muscle weakness and cramps, and sweet potatoes are full of it.
In fact, just 100g of the tasty vegetable contains 337mg of potassium, less than the 3,500mg of potassium per day recommended by the NHS.
According to Dr. Mellor, not only sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, but also regular potatoes.
Too high and too low potassium levels are not good for your health, he warned.
No matter what type of oats you choose, from rolled oats to quick oats, all porridge is good for you, say experts
porridge for the heart
Oatmeal is not only a filling breakfast, it is also a superfood for your heart.
High blood cholesterol levels can be a cause of heart disease.
However, oats have been found to lower fat levels.
It doesn’t matter what type of oats you choose, from rolled oats to quick oats, because according to British Heart Foundation (BHF) nutritionist Victoria Taylor, all porridge is good for you.
She explains in a BHF article that all oatmeal contains a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which can help lower cholesterol.
And according to BHF, lowering your cholesterol levels, even just a little, can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Those with high cholesterol can develop fatty deposits in their arteries. Over time, this can build up and make it difficult for blood to flow through your veins.
Sometimes these deposits can suddenly break up and form a clot which, according to the NHS, can cause a heart attack or stroke.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
