While there aren’t many types of white fruits and vegetables, they may already be common in your diet, as onions, potatoes, mushrooms, bananas, cauliflower, pears and garlic are all included in this group. Since white colored plants are grouped by their lack of pigment, rather than by a unifying color, they all have very different advantages.
The Benefits of Garlic and Onions
Garlic contains allicin, which is the compound responsible for this root vegetable’s strong odor. Allicin has been shown to have some antioxidant activity, which means it can help prevent cancer and heart disease. Allicin may have other positive effects on heart disease, including lowering blood pressure, and reducing fat deposits in arteries. Garlic is good for helping to prevent colds and infections and may help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Drinking milk with garlic can help to reduce the bad breath it can produce.
Onions have not been as extensively studied, but are believed to be beneficial to women by helping to prevent osteoporosis. Onions also contain antioxidants, which means they have the potential to mop up free radicals. These cause cell damage that can lead to wrinkles as well as cancer and heart disease.
The Benefits of Potatoes and Parsnips
Potatoes are one of the most widely grown and eaten vegetables in the world. Unfortunately, they are often peeled, which deprives them of many nutrients. With the skin, a single potato provides you with almost half your daily vitamin C, as well as potassium, B vitamins and dietary fiber. Cooling potatoes before eating them produces more “resistant starch,” which is digested more slowly than ordinary starch, and has benefits similar to dietary fiber. Parsnips are related to carrots and can provide you with an excellent amount of potassium and dietary fiber.
The Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower has many benefits. It is highly nutritious, with large amounts of fiber, vitamin C, folate and other nutrients. It also contains several anti-cancer compounds, which repair DNA and stop cancer from growing. It seems particularly effective on digestive and reproductive system cancers. Cauliflower is best stir-fried, sauteed or steamed, because boiling can reduce the amounts of beneficial compounds it contains.
The Benefits of White Fruits
Pears are a good source of vitamin C and their skins contain insoluble fiber, which means they can be used as a gentle laxative. They are mildly anti-inflammatory, and may also help to lower blood pressure. Peaches and nectarines are different cultivars of the same fruit. White fleshed peaches are low in acid, so you may be able to eat them even if you suffer from heartburn or stomach ulcers. They contain vitamin C and fiber.
Bananas are very high in potassium and are often recommended to people suffering from potassium deficiency. They are associated with lower risk for colon and breast cancer and also work as a natural antacid. Eating bananas can improve your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which can lead to stronger bones.
While white fruits and vegetables don’t have a common pigment with health benefits, they have many individual nutritious qualities. Eat a wide variety of white fruits and vegetables to benefit from all their unique advantages.