ANALYSIS OF ARTICLE

“Five future 'super foods' that are good for you and the planet”

Arrange by:
1. Khaerul Annas
2. Khaleda Sananingrum
3. Khumairotul Ulya
4. Kris Mangestuningsih
5. Laily Fatmalasari
6. Latifah Lely Septiarini
7. Ledwi Wisi Daely
8. Legowo Satrio
9. Lilis Setyo Pawestru
10. Lina Nur Latifah

PRODI PROFESI NERS

JURUSAN KEPERAWATAN SEMARANG
POLITENIK KESEHATAN KEMENTERIAN KESEHATAN SEMARANG
2019
 Five future 'super foods' that are good for you and the planet

A. Moringa

The Moringa tree is often referred to as "the miracle tree" - it's fast-growing and drought-
resistant and in its native south Asia many parts of the tree are used in Ayurvedic medicine.

The leaves can be harvested up to seven times a year and contain vitamins A and C and
minerals like calcium and potassium. They are often added to clear broths.

In the Philippines and Indonesia, it is common to cut the long seed pods - known as
"drumsticks" - into shorter lengths to be stewed in curries and soups. These pods also contain
seeds which are rich in oleic acid which has been linked to higher levels of "good"
cholesterol in the body.

The leaves can be ground into a powder to be used in smoothies, soups, sauces and teas.

Priya Tew, a dietitian and media spokesperson from the British Dietetic Association, knows it
well. "A favourite in my family food history, eaten as part of a curry in Sri-Lanka, You
scrape the inside out with your teeth and suck the sauce off."

Moringa contains many healthful compounds such as:vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2

(riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B-6, folate and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), calcium, potassium, iron,
magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. It is also extremely low in fats and contains no
harmful cholesterol.

Evidence has shown that moringa extract can be effective in reducing and controlling weight
gain in mice. Its high vitamin B content helps with smooth and efficient digestion and can
assist the body when converting food into energy, as opposed to storing it as fat.

Moringa is thought to:

 reduce weight gain

 help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure

  prevent inflammation

 help the body convert fats into energy

 reduce fatigue and improve energy level

Like all supplements, the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) do not
monitor moringa, so there might be concerns about purity or quality. It is essential to
understand the validity of the claims made by the manufacturers, whether it is safe to use,
and what potential side effects there may be.

There is plenty of recent research to back up the benefits as stated above, though many of
the studies are still in the preliminary stages or the tests have only taken place on animals
as opposed to humans, so there is plenty more to be done.

B. Wakame
In Japan Wakame seaweed has been cultivated for centuries by sea farmers for human food -
but offerings of it were made to the spirits of ancestors and even taxes were paid in seaweed.

Nowadays it's also grown in sea fields in France, New Zealand and Argentina. It can be
harvested all year round - without using fertilisers or pesticides - and dried in the sun.

The dried seaweed adds a delicious, salty umami flavour to food and it's also one of the few
plant-based sources of eicosapentaenoic acid - the omega 3 fatty acid which is almost
exclusively found in fatty fish that feed on algae.

One of the softest brown seaweeds, Wakame also contains a large amount of fucoidan - a
dietary fibre which has also shown potential in animal studies to lower blood pressure, to
have anti-blood coagulation properties and even anti-tumour activity.

"Seaweeds can be a great source of iodine and omega 3's, especially for people eating less
animal products. Great in a stir-fry, I ate this a lot in Hong Kong," says Priya Tew - but she
also warns that "it is important to only eat a small amount each day so you don't get too much
iodine, and also due the heavy metal content from the sea."
Wakame is a type of edible seaweed that has been cultivated in Japan and Korea for
centuries. In addition to bringing a unique taste and texture to soups and salads, wakame is
low in calories but high in several nutrients that are essential to health. Plus, it offers a long
list of potential benefits, including improved heart health and enhanced weight loss. Here are
8 surprising health benefits of wakame seaweed.

1. Low in Calories and Rich in Nutrients

Wakame is low in calories but supplies a good amount of important nutrients. Even in
small amounts, it can help boost your intake of minerals like iodine, manganese,
folate, magnesium and calcium to help you meet your nutrient needs.

2. High Iodine Content May Support Proper Thyroid Function

Rounding out its stellar nutrient profile, wakame is a good source of iodine. In fact,
wakame contains approximately 42 mcg of iodine per gram, which is about 28% of the
RDI. Iodine is an essential mineral that your body uses to produce thyroid hormones,
which help support growth, metabolism, protein synthesis and cell repair. Still, iodine
deficiency is incredibly common, with some reports estimating that about two billion
people worldwide are affected. A deficiency in this key micronutrient can contribute to
hypothyroidism, a condition in which your thyroid is unable to make enough thyroid
hormone to support normal function. Symptoms of iodine deficiency can include
weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and dry, flaky skin

3. May Reduce Blood Pressure and Heart Disease Risk

High blood pressure is a condition that places extra strain on your heart and blood
vessels, weakening your heart muscle and increasing your risk of heart disease. Some
research suggests that adding wakame to your diet can help keep blood pressure under
control and optimize. For instance, one ten-week study showed that administering
substances extracted from wakame to rats significantly decreased systolic blood
pressure (the top number of a blood pressure reading). Another study in 417 children
showed that a higher intake of seaweed lowered blood pressure. However, more human
studies are needed to evaluate how wakame may affect blood pressure among the
general population.
4. May Benefit Heart Health by Lowering Cholesterol Levels
Cholesterol plays a role in many aspects of health, ranging from hormone production to
fat digestion. However, excess blood cholesterol can build up in your arteries and block
blood flow, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. While current research is
limited to animal studies, some studies have found that wakame may lower
cholesterol levels and help improve heart health. In fact, one study found that
supplementing with wakame seaweed was effective at lowering levels of “bad” LDL
cholesterol in rats. Similarly, another animal study showed that dried wakame powder
altered the expression of specific genes to help significantly decrease cholesterol levels
after just 28 days. Despite these promising results, understanding how wakame may
affect cholesterol levels in humans requires further research.

5. May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties

One of the most impressive health benefits of wakame is its ability to block cancer cell
growth in some animal and test-tube studies. For example, one animal study showed
that giving wakame seaweed to rats helped suppress the growth and spread of breast
cancer cells. Another test-tube study found that specific compounds extracted from
wakame seaweed were effective at inhibiting the growth of colon and kidney cancer
cells. However, some studies have had mixed results. One study in 52,679 women
reported that increased seaweed consumption was linked to a higher risk of thyroid
cancer, which could be a result of excess iodine intake. Therefore, more research is
necessary to determine how wakame may impact cancer cell formation in humans.

6. May Decrease Blood Sugar and Improve Insulin Resistance

Some studies have found that wakame can help reduce blood sugar levels and
improve insulin resistance to enhance overall health. One four-week study showed that
supplementing with 48 grams of seaweed daily significantly decreased blood sugar
levels in 20 people with diabetes. Another study in animals showed that wakame was
able to prevent insulin resistance — a condition that impairs your body’s ability to use
insulin efficiently for transporting sugar to your cells, causing high blood sugar. Still,
current research on the effects of wakame on blood sugar is limited. Additional studies
are needed to discover how wakame may impact blood sugar levels in humans.
 7. May Aid Weight Loss
If you’re looking to drop a few extra pounds, you may want to consider incorporating
wakame into your diet. Not only is it high in several key nutrients, but it has also been
shown to promote weight control in animal studies. One study found that
supplementing with wakame seaweed extract suppressed weight gain in mice on a high-
fat diet. What’s more, another study found that wakame exhibited anti-obesity effects in
rats and was able to reduce fat tissue. Some studies have also noticed that diet plans that
regularly include seaweed may reduce body weight and waist circumference. Because
most research has been conducted in animals, additional high-quality studies are needed
to look at how wakame may affect weight in humans.

8. Versatile, Delicious and Easy to Add to Your Diet

Wakame is enjoyed around the world for its soft texture and mild flavor. It’s also
highly versatile and can serve as an ingredient in a variety of dishes and recipes.
Frequently found in dried form, wakame is typically soaked in water for about ten
minutes before consumption to help it soften and remove excess salt. After soaking,
wakame can easily replace leafy greens like lettuce, spinach or arugula in your favorite
salads. You can also add the strips into soups for a burst of flavor and nutrients.
Alternatively, serve wakame as a side dish topped with a bit of soy sauce or rice
vinegar to complete your meal.

C. Nopales cactus

A common ingredient in Mexican cuisine the leaves, fruit and cladodes (flattened shoots
rising from the stems of the plant) of Nopales or prickly pear can be eaten raw, cooked, or
made into juice or jam. It's easy to grow in Central and South America, Australia and even
Europe.

Some clinical studies suggest that fibre from cacti helps the body to excrete more of the fat
we eat - but any weight loss benefits are yet to be proven. Other trials suggested it can reduce
blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes - and may even lessen unpleasant hangover
symptoms.

Nopales or nopalitos are the pads of the nopal or prickly pear cactus. They are eaten as a
vegetable and commonly found in restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers' markets across the
American Southwest and Mexico. They can be sautéed and used in many dishes, including
tacos, scrambled eggs, or as a side dish with tomatoes and onions. Nopales can also be eaten
raw. They resemble a green pepper when diced and are turned into juice, jams, or tea. Prickly
pear fruit or the small, rounded, and often colorful part of the plant can also be consumed.
Juice extracted from the fruit is a popular drink of choice for health-conscious consumers in
Mexico.

Nopales are classified as vegetables and are rich in plant nutrients and low in calories.
According to Vandana Sheth, RDN, author of My Indian Table: Quick & Tasty Vegetarian
Recipes and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, some of its key
nutrients include vitamins A, C and K, plus plant-based calcium.

Specifically, one cup of sliced nopales provides 14 calories, about 3 grams of carbohydrates,
2 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein and a trace amount of fat, along with 8 milligrams
of vitamin C, 393 IU of vitamin A, 4.6 micrograms of vitamin K, 141 milligrams of calcium
and 221 milligrams of potassium. One of its nutrient highlights is soluble fiber.

Prickly pears are classified as fruits and are an excellent source of vitamin C.
Specifically, one cup of prickly pear fruit provides about 61 calories, 14 grams of
carbohydrate, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein, and less than a gram of fat, along
with 21 milligrams of vitamin C, 64 IU of vitamin A, 83 milligrams of calcium, and 328
milligrams of potassium. Plus, they're packed with antioxidants. Two of the fruit's key
antioxidant phytonutrients are kaempferol and quercetin. The purple variety, in particular, is
very high in betanin (those are pigments!), according to an April 2015 study in Antioxidants.

Health Benefits of Nopal Cactus

1. Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Although human studies highlighting health benefits of nopales are limited, the anti-
inflammation benefits have been confirmed, says Sheth. A September 2014 study
in Moleculesfound that the nopal cactus, in general, is known for being rich in polyphenols
that offer anti-inflammatory properties.

Plus, an October 2014 study in Natural Products Chemistry & Research suggests a link
between a diet rich in the cactus and a reduced risk of diseases associated with oxidative
stress, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Since inflammation can be
triggered by oxidative stress, eating nopales may be helpful.

2. Anti-Diabetic Effects
a 2014 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dieteticsfound that
consuming the plant may reduce post-meal serum insulin and blood glucose levels while
boosting antioxidant activity in people with or without type 2 diabetes.

3. Cancer and Heart-Protective Benefits

The anti-cancer and heart-health benefits of prickly pear fruit need to be further studied in
humans, but there are some positive findings so far. "Some epidemiological studies link
kaempferol to reduced risks of developing multiple cardiovascular diseases and cancer,"
says Michele Redmond, RDN, chef, dietitian and director of The Taste Workshop, citing a
June 2013 study in Food Chemistry.

Soluble fiber is one of the reasons this unique vegetable offers potential heart health benefits.
"Nopales are rich in pectins, a type of dietary soluble fiber connected to blood-cholesterol
lowering effects; however, there is limited research on cholesterol-lowering effects outside of
animal studies," says Redmond. A December 2011 study in the European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition found that pectin does, in fact, help lower blood cholesterol in people whose
cholesterol is high.

4. Hangover Prevention
The best way to prevent a hangover is to take it easy on the alcoholic beverages, of course.
But if you plan to throw a few back, here's some juicy news to consider: A June 2004 study
in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that consuming a prickly pear fruit extract before
you drink alcohol may potentially cut your risk of getting a severe hangover in half.

Researchers chalk up this effect to the cactus' anti-inflammatory properties. The trick is that
the prickly pear extract needs to ingested before the alcoholic beverages, so sipping on a glass
of prickly pear juice before going out for a night of debauchery might be a smart move.
D. Fonio

This ancient African grain is known for its nutty, delicate taste which the Bambara people of
Mali say "never embarrasses the cook" because it's so easy to prepare.

Dating back more than 5,000 years, there's evidence it was cultivated in ancient Egypt. There
are black and white varieties of the drought-resistant cereal which grows in just 60 or 70 days
in the dry Sahel region of west Africa.

Fonio's grains are as tiny as sand - and the inedible husk needs to be removed before it's
eaten. Most of this is carried out by hand, but a new mill in Senegal could see the gluten-free
grain exported all around the world when it is finished next year. Rich in iron, zinc and
magnesium, fonio can be used in place of couscous or rice or even used to make beer.

Fonio (also fonyo) is arguably the oldest cereal in Africa. Known as acha by Ghanaians and
po tolo by the Dogons of Mali, fonio has other common names including hungry rice, hungry
millet, afio, pini, fundi millet, hungry koos and others. Fonio is grown mainly in West Africa,
with Guinea being the main cultivator of the crop and consuming it as a staple. It is also
grown in the Northern part of Ghana and other parts of the Sub-Saharan region. Though
many people do not know of this cereal.”.

Fonio grows fast, germinating within a week after planting and ready for harvest in 2 to 4
months after germination, and does well in different soil conditions. It even grows in soil
conditions considered too poor for sorghum, pearl millet and other cereals (sandy soil and
other soil conditions). Yet, this cereal is packed with great nutritional and health benefits
which will be examined in detail in this post.

The health benefits of every food commodity are hinged on the components that are in the
food and fonio contains many components with great nutrition and health significance. Fonio
contains a good amount of dietary fibre, protein, minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium
and potassium, and vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin B3. Fonio is also low in calories,
fat and sodium.

Proteins are important nutrients the body needs for proper growth and development. Proteins
are made of amino acids and there are 9 essential amino acids (9 amino acids that need to be
supplied to the body through food). Fonio, unlike many other cereals, contains good amounts
 of these essential amino acids with the exception of one (lysine). The quality of these amino
acids in fonio is higher than the amino acids in rice, wheat, maize and other cereals. The
quality of 4 of the essential amino acids in fonio is nearly 100%. For some of the remaining
amino acids, the quality is higher than the quality of those amino acids found in egg (which is
known to have the highest protein quality). Combining legumes (such as groundnuts,
soybean, cowpea, Bambara groundnuts, etc.) with fonio would increase the protein quality of
the diet to be equal to that of egg if not more. This is possible because legumes are rich in
lysine, which fonio lacks.

Fonio is an excellent source of folic acid. Folic acid is an important vitamin that is needed by
the body for brain development. It is an essential vitamin for pregnant women. Folic acid
helps to prevent neural tube defects in unborn children. Also, folic acid helps develop
emotional health and prevent depression. Fonio contains vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6 which
are important for normal body functions.

Fonio is packed with nutrients, making it very nutritious and a healthy cereal, even more
nutritious and healthier cereal than some common cereals like rice and oats. Get yourself
some fonio and try it. You will love it! Don’t forget to share this with your friends and also
tell us about your experience after trying it.

E. Bambara

It's a legume that tastes like a less oily, sweeter version of a peanut. The Bambara bean has
caught the eye of sustainable food experts because it can grow in poor soil, making it more
fertile by "fixing" nitrogen in the earth.

The traditional African legume is also grown in southern Thailand and parts of Malaysia and
can be boiled, roasted, fried or milled into a fine flour.

In east Africa the beans are pureed to create a base for soups. It's known as a "complete
food", as it's high in protein and a source of the essential amino acid methionine - which
promotes the growth of new blood vessels and the absorption of zinc, which is needed for the
body's immune system, and selenium, which helps regulate thyroid function and also plays a
role in the immune system.
Medicinal Use Among beans this one is said to have the highest concentration of soluble
fiber, a non-nutrient famously occurring in oatbran and believed to reduce the incidence of
heart disease and to help prevent colon cancer. In addition, the crop has medicinal uses in
many areas in Africa. In Botswana, for example, the black seeded landraces have the
reputation of being a treatment for impotence

Ripe or immature, the seed averages 63 percent carbohydrate, 19 percent protein, and 6.5
percent oil. The protein, as formerly noted, contains more of the nutritionally essential amino
acid methionine than that in other beans, making it more complete.

The seed has the reputation of being very filling. And no wonder: its nutritional energy (per
100g) has been measured at 367-414 calories, an amount greater than that of common pulses
such as cowpea, lentil, and pigeon pea.

Although formal infant-feeding studies are unreported, a trial has been conducted of “milks”
prepared from bambara bean, cowpea, pigeon pea, and soybean. Whereas all were declared
acceptable, the scientists ranked bambara-milk first in flavor, nutritional value, and color. The
mothers and (seemingly) their babies preferred it too

Here is a great tasting high protein nut that is similar to peanuts but even better. Contains lots
of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that are wonderful for healing arthritis, anemia,
and other inflammatory diseases. And it's full of protein and can be made into a wonderful
probiotic drink and a tasty high protein flour. Bambara Nuts are easy to digest, drought
tolerant, easy to grow, and full of great nutrition for feeding all the hungry people of the
world.

Easy to Grow— 4 Crops a Year - They like full sun and need very little water and ready to
harvest in 4 months. And they grow all year round... making it possible to have multiple
harvests of Bambara Nuts yearly.

Where it Grows - Common in West Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, and also in the
Congo, plus, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, and India... a wonderful legume which is
similar to a peanut... but with more protein. But could be grown in many arid regions of the
world including parts of the US.
Bambara Nuts can be steamed and ground into a very nutritive flour which is much better
than wheat flour... and it's totally gluten-free. This flour can be used as a substitute for wheat
and contains more protein than wheat flour... and also makes a great veggie milk.. and
snacks. And makes wonderful biscuits and bread with a great texture similar to wheat.

Bambara Nuts also contain a good amount of magnesium which helps with insomnia.
Bambara Nuts also help to prevent stomach cancer with all the antioxidants and probiotics
plus the anti-inflammatory qualities. Bambara Nuts also are good anti-inflammatory food to
help with inflammation, arthritis, joint pain, swelling, and redness and pain in general. And
because inflammation is the first step towards disease.
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