Have you ever taken a bite into a corn on the cob that tasted so sweet you couldn't help but close your eyes and smile? As I was reading the New York Times article "Breeding Nutrition Out of Food"by Jo Robinson I reminisced about that exact feeling. However, I was shocked by the cultural and historical explanation for why Americans cherish sweet corn. Past farmers naturally chose to grow fruits and vegetables that tasted sweet because it was pleasurable to eat. However, the sweetness of our present day fruits and vegetables indicate a lack of phytonutrients and an abundance of sugar and starch.
What is phytonutrients, you ask? Phytonutrients serve as compounds to fight against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. The bottom line is that they help prevent disease. The presence of phytonutrients is largely tied to a bitter tasting fruit/vegetable. So while us Americans chow down on sugary infested sweet corn, it's because we don't like bitter tastes such as the ancestor corn teosinte. Because of the preference for sweet corn, this trend caused early European settlers to grow sweet yellow corn. Unfortunately yellow corn lacks the phytonutrient anthocyanin.
 |
| CORN |
I love this article because it sends the pressing message that we should reconsider the varieties of fruits and vegetables that we eat in order to optimize our health. Also, it ponders the path of evolution in regards to humans and their diet. Should we sacrifice taste for health? I think it's important for our society to be conscious about why we eat the foods that we do. If you want to steer your diet towards the path of nutrient dense foods then consider eating arugula and scallions, which are high in phytonutrients. Also, add herbs such as Italian parsley and basil into your next meal because they are also packed with phytonutrients. Lastly, check out these amazing diagrams from the New York Times article that illustrate the difference of phytonutrients among carrots, potatoes, corn, and greens.
No comments:
Post a Comment
What do you think?