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Carrots good for eyes, Summa dietitian says
By Lisa Abraham
Beacon Journal food writer
Published on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008
In my role as a food journalist, I see it as my responsibility to spare my readers the countless, inane, trivial and otherwise stupid snippets that arrive every day disguising themselves as news.
I am proud to be your gatekeeper of real food news.
Until now.
When this gem popped into my in-box, I knew it was too good not to share.
At the risk of seeming like an annoying relative who forwards every Internet warning that she reads from rumors of lead in lipstick to the return of Elvis, I give you ''Foods that look like the body parts they're good for.''
Some of you may have seen this before. It's been making the rounds for months, but recently was discovered by a New York public relations firm, which forwarded it on behalf of a client who has a natural health Web site.
Here's how it begins:
''A sliced carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like
the human eye. . . . and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.''
On it goes: tomatoes for the heart — both are red with chambers inside; clusters of grapes for clusters of blood cells; walnuts for the brain because they look like miniature brains; kidney beans for the kidneys; celery sticks for the leg bones; olives for the ovaries; pears and avocados for the uterus; sweet potatoes for the pancreas; oranges and grapefruits for the mammary glands (no explanation needed there) and this:
''Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well, as to overcome male sterility.''
And that's when it occurred to me that former Sen. John Edwards could blame all of his current problems on the fact that he was eating too many figs. His mistress was in California after all, fig capital of the U.S., and the figgy boost to his virility probably sent him over the edge.
This list has kept my walnut-shaped brain spinning from all of the questions that keep popping into it.
I once had a boss who was a pea brain. Should he be eating more peas to keep his limited knowledge intact?
Should Dolly Parton be eating watermelon?
When I look in the mirror most days, I am chagrined by the fact that my behind has started to resemble a county fair display of giant pumpkins. But somehow, I don't think I should be eating more pumpkin, especially because I typically consume it as pie.
Should people with big noses eat turnips and people with small ones, button mushrooms?
Is cauliflower good for wrestlers who get cauliflower ear?
I could go on and on but I'm not a nutritionist, so I decided to consult with someone who is.
Julianne Kobus, a registered licensed dietitian for Summa Health System, came to my aid and, after looking over the list, said it contained both fact and fiction.
The fact is that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is always a good idea for a healthy diet. Some of the list is on target.
Carrots contain a lot of beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are good for the eyes. Tomatoes are full of lycopene, which is good for the heart. Grapes contain resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that is good for a number of things, including fighting viruses. Walnuts are high in omega 3 fatty acids, which are great for the brain and the heart.
But like much of the pseudo-science that floats around on the Internet, the list also contains its share of bad information.
Calcium will best benefit the bones, not celery, which actually is high in sodium. Kobus doesn't recommend a lot of it for anyone with the possible exception of marathon runners.
''Sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene. They wouldn't help the pancreas and they don't really look like the pancreas anyway,'' Kobus said. ''The pancreas looks more like a squiggly line. I just can't think of any vegetable that the pancreas looks likes."
Sorry Sen. Edwards, there's no scientific evidence to suggest that figs do anything for the manhood — you'll just have to keep apologizing.
And kidney beans, while they are full of fiber to help the digestive system, won't do much for the kidneys, Kobus said.
On the whole, associating body parts with food isn't a bad way to remember how to eat healthy. ''It's a good mnemonic device,'' she said.
But a better way may be to think about a rainbow.
''If you eat a balanced diet and throughout the day you are eating the colors of the rainbow, you are going to get these nutrients,'' Kobus said.
But what about Dolly Parton?
''Watermelon has a lot of lycopene in it. It's definitely going to help her heart. I don't think she needs help with her chest,'' Kobus said.
Until next week, have fun in the kitchen, just don't spend too much time trying to match up what you see in the mirror to what you see in the refrigerator.
Lisa A. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
In my role as a food journalist, I see it as my responsibility to spare my readers the countless, inane, trivial and otherwise stupid snippets that arrive every day disguising themselves as news.
Get the full article here.
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