{"id":44549,"date":"2011-03-18T01:00:50","date_gmt":"2011-03-18T06:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=44549"},"modified":"2012-02-29T17:00:24","modified_gmt":"2012-02-29T22:00:24","slug":"eat-orange-to-prevent-cancer-and-boost-immunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/03\/eat-orange-to-prevent-cancer-and-boost-immunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Eat Orange to Prevent Cancer and Boost Immunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Cheryl Forberg, R.D., is a James Beard Award-winning chef, the nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser and a New York Times best-selling author. Her Pumpkin Polenta recipe is reprinted from Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You (Rodale, 2026). Follow her on at www.facebook.com\/cherylforbergrd<\/a> or twitter at cherylforbergrd<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

To maintain a healthy balance in your diet, make sure you eat something orange every day. From the burnt orange richness of carrots, yams and pumpkin to the ocher shades of apricots and nectarines, these colorful foods are packed with nutrients and compounds that our bodies need to function properly and stave off disease.<\/p>\n

Orange foods take their hue from beta-carotene, a plant substance converted by the human body into Vitamin A, essential for normal growth and development, immune system function, and skin and vision health. Beta-carotene<\/a><\/strong> is also a powerful antioxidant shown to help fight cancer and heart-disease. Most people don\u2019t get enough beta-carotene in their diet so it\u2019s important to add orange to the menu daily.<\/p>\n

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While there is less beta-carotene in foods on the paler side of the orange spectrum, particularly citrus fruits, they still contain healthy doses of Vitamin C<\/a><\/strong>, potassium and flavonoids, plant substances found in lab tests to prevent certain forms of cancer. Taken together, the nutrients found in orange foods are believed to reduce age-related sight degeneration, fight harmful free radicals, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones.<\/p>\n

Add more orange to your diet by munching on carrots \u2013 one cup of this raw root veggie contains 71 percent of the recommended daily value of Vitamin A, and just 52 calories! Substitute yams or sweet potatoes for Russets, and think pumpkin year-\u2018round, not just at Halloween. Canned pumpkin is always available (just make sure you\u2019re not buying sweetened pumpkin pie filling). Pumpkins<\/a><\/strong> contain the antioxidant lutein, also important for healthy skin and eyes.<\/p>\n

Sweet Pumpkin Polenta<\/strong>
\nMAKES 8 SERVINGS<\/p>\n

The smell of sweet spices will fill the air while this creamy dessert is baking. It\u2019s divine straight from the oven but tastes heavenly the next day — if there\u2019s any left — when it\u2019s cold.<\/p>\n

Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n