020. Bitter food items | Tastes, flavours and benefits
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020. Bitter food items
Bitter foods help the body’s immune system. They increase the White Blood Cell production. They help to burn off the excess fat in the body very quickly providing us energy.
So underweight persons should not eat bitter food except as a medical treatment. These help to relieve the mental distress and calm our nervous systems. These detoxify and lighten the tissues.
Coffee, unsweetened cocoa, olives, marmalade, bitter melon, beer, citrus peels and bitter gourds fall under this category.
Coffee is a dispenser of quick energy and makes us alert, bright and more focused. It helps to prevent cancer. It keeps away feelings of depression and boredom. Too many cups of coffee per day may increase cardiovascular problems by increasing the heart beat rate and blood pressure.
It may cause irregular heart beats and can become addictive. Care should be taken not to increase the calorie content by adding too much sugar or cream.
A high level of flavonoids present in
Chocolate and Cocoa may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Prolonged intake of cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits. This refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate. Flavonoids get degraded during cooking and processing.
Researchers have found that the Kuna Indians living on the islands and who drank cocoa regularly had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer compared to those who lived on the mainland and did not drink cocoa.
The consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa improved the blood flow adding to the health benefits and made the memory sharp. Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure.
The antioxidant nutrients in
black olives impede the oxidation of cholesterol. They increase the good cholesterol and help to prevent heart disease. Since Black olives are rich in Vitamin E they can nourish and protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation.
Skin cancer, colon cancer and premature aging can be prevented. Olive oil also acts as a painkiller and inhibits inflammation Connective Tissues of bones.
A cup of black olives contains about one-fifth of the daily allowance of fiber and keeps the digestive tract healthy. Black olives are very high in iron and the proper function of the immune system is dependent on sufficient iron. The Vitamin A present in black olives are beneficial to the eyes and improve the eye sight.
Bitter gourd detoxifies the body. It can cure respiratory disorders. It boosts immunity and fights fungal infections. It improves stamina and regulates the sleeping patterns. Bitter melon juice has been shown to significantly improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels. It improves the eyesight.
It is absolutely true that what is good for the body may not taste good to the tongue!
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