Healthy Black Foods

Black is considered inferior to white. But it was not true to food. Dark colored food sources usually contain higher antioxidant that is very effective to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart attack, and cancer.

Cy Lee, P.Hd, professor of food chemistry at Cornell University said, "Black fruit has more antioxidant because the darker the color, the higher the pigments derived from anthocyanin.

So, what are the healthy black foods?

• Black rice

Black rice contains a high amount of vitamin E. Eating the black rice regularly will increase the body's immune system and protect cells from free radical damage. Black rice is also contains anthocyanin antioxidant higher than blackberries.

• Black lentils

Black lentils is group of legumes that is rich of iron. A cup of black lentils contains 8 mg of iron, almost half of the recommended daily intake, 18 mg per day for women. Lentils is also rich of soluble fiber that can lower cholesterol and increase immune function. Lentils contains protein and fiber that can protect us from the attack of breast cancer. The American researcher proved that the food that can reduce the risk of breast cancer is a food that contains the low-meat foods and carbohydrates but rich in nuts. Black lentils can be served for soup and salad. 

• Blackberries

Blackberry is known containing polyphenol antioxidant. Polyphenol on blackberries can 

prevent decreasing of cognitive function because of aging. It works to remove cells which disturb brain's functions. Blackberry is also rich of fiber. For human life, it is important to overcome stress, heart disease, and cancer. Recently research found that blackberries decrease the risk of cancer.

• Black beans

The benefit of black beans for health is derived from the various compound contained in them. Black beans contain antioxidant like fruits. The antioxindant can decrease the risk of heart attack. The black skins rich of the substances nutritions from plants which can fight the various disease including diabetes, stroke, and cancer.

• Black soy

So far we know the yellow soy. Indeed, there are black soy with millions nutrients and benefits. It is not only cure the health but also could treat various degenerative diseases. In general, soy processed into tofu, Tempe, soy milk, and others. With the advancement of technology, it can be processed into instant soybean powder (brewed). Black soy are generally used for soy sauce and taucho. Protein contents on black soy has varied between 37-41% and for fat is 11-21%. Mino-glutamate acid in black soy is slightly higher than yellow bean's. So thats why black soy has more savory flavors than yellow's. Based on the research, black soy has many benefits such as losing weight, reducing LDL cholesterol levels, and protecting from diabetes type 2.

• Black tea

Black tea is the most widely spread type of tea over the world. It is fully oxidized and contains 80% less caffeine than a cup of coffee has. The benefit of black tea is the risk of heart disease because it is able to prevent the absorption of cholesterol. Black tea is also good for patients who have blood sugar and high blood pressure. It can also preventing tooth decay and swell of the gum. India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Indonesia is the largest producer of black tea in the world. Almost 80% of black tea production worldwide comes from this region. In China, black tea is known as red tea.

• Dark chocolate

Many kind of chocolate that we know such as regular chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate. One of them, dark chocolate has many benefits and efficacy for the body. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that dark chocolate contains polyphenol. Polyphenol shown to lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate is also believed to protect against heart attacks and stroke. (also read Eat Chocolates??? Why not... Article)

• Black grass jelly

Besides for a dessert, grass jelly is also beneficial to health. Efficacy is closely related to soluble dietary fiber contained there. In the body, soluble fiber can sugar and fat/cholesterol. So it is useful to prevent diabetes mellitus, heart disease, stroke and the other cardiovascular diseases. In addition, nutritional value per 100 grams on black grass jelly is good enough, especially the minerals and vitamins content. However, black grass jelly (for finished product) is a food with minimal nutritional content. The largest content is water, almost 98%. Given the manufacturing are added mineral and starch, black grass jelly contains a number of minerals and carbohydrates in  a hefty amount.

• Black pepper

Pepper is seasoning flavor alkaloid piperine which has spicy taste. For human's health, pepper can loosen respiratory tract and blood flow around the head. Therefore, spicy pepper food is suitable for patient with influenza, headache, flatulence, and nausea due to colds. Pepper cuisines and suitable for the health are steak sauce, sup, and so on. There are two types of pepper, white pepper and black pepper. White pepper is picked from the tree when it is ripe, then peeled by immersion in water for two weeks, then dried for three days. Black pepper is picked when it is ripe but the skin is still green and directly dried for three days without soaked first. Black pepper is not only for food flavoring spice, but also has the potential to become a new drug for skin pigment disease called vitiligo. In medical terms, vitiligo is a condition is which areas of the skin lose their normal pigment, so the surface looks white. As published in the British Journal of Dermatology, researchers from King's College London have uncovered the benefit of piperine--main compound that gives black pepper its spicy and pungent flavor--to stimulate pigmentation in the skin.

• Black cumin

For centuries, black cumin is used by millions of people in Asia, Middle East, and Africa to maintain health. Its oil and herb believed to treat disease related to respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, stomach, and liver disorder as well as to boost the immune system. Black cumin is believed to come from the Mediterranean (Mediterranean sea around) before spreading to different parts of the world, including Asia. It has small filamentous shape, and its size not greater than 3 mm. Black cumin included in buttercup family (Ranuculaceae). There are two types of this plant, which is bluish purple and white. Arabic has known black cumin is more than 2,000 years ago. They used this plant to treat various health problems, such as tooth pain, flu, and join pain. Another plant called black seed in also rich in unsaturated fatty acids and essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and linoleic). Black cumin also contains 15 kinds of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, crude fibers, and volatile oil. The content of vitamins and minerals include calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, selenium, vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, and niacin. Black seed also contains arginine which is essential for infant growth.

Resource: krou.wordpress.
Picture taken from allyskitchen, vibrantwellnessjournal, cookalmostanything.blogspot, dentalrepublic, menshealth, everydayhealth, teavana, marksdailyapple, lavoguefemme, glamourmagazine, secretlyhealthy.