White foods, a must in your diet

Loaded with phytochemicals, white food usually earns a bad reputation in the healthy food category thanks to food items such as white rice, white bread, white sugar and so on. But today with the help of Shachi Sohal, H.O.D. Dietetics Deptt at Dr. B.L. Kapur Hospital, New Delhi we will have a look at some healthy white foods such as onion, garlic, white radish, baby corn and sesame seeds. Read on to understand the health power and benefits of these food items. Onion: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion - Calories ( kcal): 50 - Proteins (gms): 1.2 - Carbohydrates(gms): 11.1 - Fat( gms): 0.1 - Iron( mg): 0.60 Health benefits: Onions contain sulfur compounds as thiosulfinates which exhibit antimicrobial properties. Onion is an aphrodisiac food, it helps in strengthening the reproductory organs. Garlic: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion - Calories ( kcal): 145 - Proteins (gms): 6.3 - Carbohydrates(gms): 29.8 - Fat( gms): 0.1 - Iron( mg): 1.2 Health benefits: - Garlic helps remove toxins, stimulates blood circulation and normalises intestinal flora. - The allicin in garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure. - Garlic has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Radish: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion - Calories ( kcal): 35 - Proteins (gms): 0.7 - Carbohydrates(gms): 3.4 - Fat( gms): 0.1 - Iron( mg): 0.4 Health benefits: - Radish helps in preventing Urinary Disorders. It is a diurectic i.e. increases production of urine. It is helpful in the treatment of dysuria or painful urination. - It is beneficial as a carminative for relieving gastric discomforts, and also serves as a laxative and stimulant. Sesame seeds: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion - Calories ( kcal): 567 - Proteins (gms): 16.9 - Carbohydrates(gms): 26.04 - Fat( gms): 48 - Iron( mg): 7.78 Health benefits: - Sesame seeds contain good amounts of many essential minerals. Calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, selenium and copper are especially concentrated in sesame seeds. These minerals are vital for bone mineralization, red blood cell production, enzyme synthesis, hormone production and regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle activities. - Sesame seeds are rich in oleic acid ( MUFA ) which helps to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood. Baby Corn: Nutritive Value per 100gms of edible portion - Calories ( kcal): 86 - Proteins (gms): 2.6 - Carbohydrates(gms): 18.5 - Fat( gms): 1 Health benefits: - Baby corn is a good source of folate and vitamin B. It also contains potassium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, vitamin C and fiber. - Good for people on a diet as it contains a good amount of nutrients, fibre and is low in calories.