Dan's Papers - September 26, 2008 - Foods that Look Like, and Support, Body Parts

Here's some food for thought: Has nature actually provided us with foods that seem to resemble the organs that they benefit? Now, this isn't like seeing the Virgin Mary in a fish stick or the face of Jesus in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. These are fruits, vegetables and other things growing in nature that in a bizarre way mirror some of our body parts (sort of).

This observation hit the Internet in the form of an email blast a few months back, and although controversial and just a little far-fetched, is kind of cool if you think about it. Here is a snippet of the anonymous compilation (I'm not sure of the originator of this e-mail) for your consideration.

Claim: "A sliced carrot looks like the human eye...the pupil, the iris, the radiating lines... Science now shows that carrots enhance blood flow and function of the eyes."

Truth: In actuality, carrots are good for our eyes. Even Bugs Bunny knew that. Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds that promote good vision, especially night vision. They are also the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes, which help to protect vision. In addition, beta-carotene's powerful antioxidant actions help provide protection against macular degeneration and the development of senile cataracts, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

Claim: "The tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food."

Truth: This red-headed bombshell is packed with nutrients including vitamins C, A, and K, potassium, fiber and lycopene. These components can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lycopene in particular is under some scrutiny, as it seems to have strong antioxidant power that can protect our cell's DNA and also stimulate enzymes that deactivate carcinogens, which can stop the onset of cancer. Some studies on the positive effects of lycopene are promising, but too many others remain inconclusive to get excited about it.

Claim: "Walnuts look like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles and folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over three dozen transmitters for brain function."

Truth: These little suckers (I always did think they looked like brains) are a tremendous source of omega-3 fatty acids, believed to help reduce heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis, and more. Because omega-3s are highly concentrated in the brain they play an essential role in brain function, especially memory, performance, and behavioral function.

Claim: "Kidney beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, look exactly like the human kidneys."

Truth: Okay, so they are actually named for their resemblance to the kidney. Or is it the other way around? This is like the chicken or the egg. Anyway, this is a tough one because although kidney beans are a super food - they have loads of fiber, protein, potassium, folate, Vitamin B-6, zinc, iron, and more, if you have any signs of kidney failure, beware. The National Kidney Foundation warns in early signs of kidney failure to limit the intake of foods high in phosphorus, naming kidney beans specifically.

The e-mail blast included several other interesting observations. Here are some others I'll leave for your own musing: "Avocadoes target the health and function of the female cervix (huh?). Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries. Grapefruits and oranges look just like the mammary glands (among other things) of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts. Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow (what a visual!). Figs increase the motility of male sperm."