Nutrition
Overcoming breast cancer with diet: vegetable edition
Vegetables are important part of our diet
Last week’s piece was about how we can protect our health against breast cancer with fruits. In this week’s episode, we will be talking about how we can maximise our health against breast cancer with vegetables.
Vegetables are a very important part of our diet. Knowing the types and amount of vegetables is paramount in optimising our overall health.
The following include a variety of vegetables that contain the minerals and vitamins necessary to boost our immune system to fight against breast cancer.
• Green leafy vegetables: lettuce, kontomire, bokoboko, ayoyo, bitter leaf, alefu
• Cruciferous vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli
• Marrow vegetables: pumpkin and cucumber
• Root vegetables: beetroot, carrot and potato
With any food of your choice, for example rice, yam, etc., a number of recipes can be made from combinations of the aforementioned vegetables. These include:
• Vegetable stew
• Vegetable soup
• Vegetable salad
• Coleslaw
Some of these vegetables, such as carrot, cucumber, beetroot, etc. can also be eaten raw as snack.
In our next chapter, we will discuss some foods/recipes that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats, as well as lifestyle modifications in general, which is also an integral part of the fight against breast cancer.
The writer, Bernice Korkor Asare is a Dietitian and CEO of Holistic Health Consult
“Your diet your health, your health your wealth”
E-mail:
info@holistichealthconsult.org
Ingredients
-Oil
-1 large onion
-2 cups of rice
-Salt
-2 cups of wheat
Preparation
-In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat
-Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and turns golden brown
-Wash rice and wheat and put into pan. Sauté for two to three minutes, until toasty and fragrant
-Add water and salt and allow to boil.
– Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
-Taste the rice/wheat; if it is still a bit firm, add a few more tablespoons of water and cook a few more minutes.
-When the rice/wheat is ready, take it off the fire and serve hot
Benefits of wheat
–Improves digestion: High levels of insoluble fibre- wheat promotes regular bowel movements, prevent constipation, and support a healthy gut microbiome.
-Supports heart health: Whole-grain wheat helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, reduces blood pressure, and decreases the risk of stroke and heart disease.
-Aids weight management: Complex carbohydrates and dense fibre slow digestion, increase feelings of fullness, and help prevent sharp blood sugar spikes.
-Lowers type 2 diabetes risk: Steady glucose release and minerals like magnesium improve insulin sensitivity.
– Provides essential vitamins and minerals: Wheat supplies B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium, which help build bones and boost immune function.
–Delivers Antioxidants: Compounds like phenolic acids, ferulic acid, and lutein protect cells from oxidative stress and support eye health.
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Ingredients
-4 cups of crushed corn
-1 cup of sugar
Method:
-Soak crushed corn for two or more days to ferment
-Boil the fermented corn for about 20-30 minutes until foamy substance is dried up
-Pour sugar in a saucepan and heat until almost burnt
-Strain water from the boiled corn and pour in the saucepan containing sugar
-Use a strainer to strain the chaff
-Allow to cool and store in refrigerator
– Serve with milk
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
