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September 10, 2004
Happy, healthy, good ’n’ sweet
Traditional Rosh Hashanah food and drink can be beneficial to
health.
JUDITH BRODER SELLNER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
When Jewish people meet during the month of Elul, before Rosh Hashanah,
they customarily greet one another with a wish for the new year.
In English, they often say, "A happy and healthy New Year,"
and in Hebrew, "L’shana tovah u’mitukah,"
meaning, "To a good and sweet year." The festive meals
during the holiday period traditionally include honey, apples and,
especially among Israelis, pomegranates. Medical research indicates
that these foods, and the wine that is basic to festival meals,
have impressive health benefits in addition to their sweetness.
So, exactly what are the advantages of these customary foods? Take
apples, for example. According to nutritional research, they are
free from sodium, cholesterol and fat, including the demon saturated
fat. They lower blood cholesterol, improve bowel function and reduce
risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. The
dietary fibre in apples aids digestion and promotes weight loss.
A medium apple contains about five grams of fibre, more than most
cereals. The mineral boron, which promotes bone health, is also
found in apples.
In a paper delivered in 2002, Dr. Dianne Hyson, of the University
of California-Davis, pointed to the disease-fighting profile of
apples and to their numerous health benefits, including a potential
decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Additional research
at the University of California-Davis indicates that apples and
apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up.
In the first study conducted on humans, adults who added two apples
or 12 ounces of 100 per cent apple juice to their daily diet demonstrated
a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that
leads to plaque build-up, thereby giving the body more time to rid
itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm.
Two British studies cited at a 2001 American Thoracic Society meeting
suggested that eating apples can improve lung health. A study of
Welsh men indicated that people who ate at least five a week experienced
better lung function. Researchers at the University of Nottingham
reported that those who ate five apples per week also had a lower
risk for respiratory disease. Scientists believe that antioxidants
found in apples may ward off disease by countering oxygen’s
damaging effects on the body.
Honey, too, offers healthful benefits. Recent studies suggest that
the unique mixture of sugars, which occurs naturally in honey, aids
in preventing fatigue and increasing energy. Honey contains a multitude
of vitamins, such as B6, thiamin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
Essential minerals, such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese,
phosphorus, potassium, sodium zinc are also found in honey. In addition,
several different amino acids, the building blocks of protein, have
been identified in honey. Honey contains several compounds that
function as antioxidants, one of which, pinocembrin, is unique to
honey.
An article in the July-August 2004 issue of AARP (American
Association of Retired People) magazine referred to a recent University
of California-Davis study that found the addition of four tablespoons
of honey to subjects’ daily diets increased their blood levels
of phenolics. These natural antioxidant compounds suppress the cell-damaging
action of unstable free-radical molecules, which can cause premature
aging, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. Dr. Heidrun
Gross, the study’s author, suggests that dark honey, such as
buckwheat, gives the best results because its deeper color indicates
a higher antioxidant content.
The pomegranate has major significance in Judaism. It is mentioned
in the Torah among the seven species of agricultural foods brought
back to Moses by the spies who explored the Promised Land. As the
produce attested to the fertility of the land, the pomegranate became
a symbol of human fertility. And, according to Midrash, it has 613
seeds, equal to the number of mitzvot (commandments) in the
Torah. Throughout history, many cultures have revered this fruit
as a symbol of health, fertility and rebirth. Some scholars believe
that a pomegranate, not an apple, was the forbidden fruit in the
Garden of Eden.
As to the pomegranate’s health benefits, it has been found
to be another significant source of antioxidants. So, our forbears
had a point in choosing the pomegranate as an object of praise.
Its nutritional powers may explain the longevity attributed to many
biblical figures.
And then there’s wine, the pivotal element in every Jewish
festival and lifecycle event. True, we generally consume but a thimbleful
of wine at kiddush on holidays and Shabbat. However, studies have
shown that the risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s is cut in half
among persons who have at least one glass of wine a month as contrasted
with those who never drink wine.
Within wine, flavonoids, a specific type of antioxidant, are the
likely preventers of dementia. Researchers at Northwestern University
Medical School have found that a chemical in red wine believed to
help reduce risk for heart disease is a form of estrogen. The substance,
resveratrol, is highly concentrated in the skin of grapes and is
abundant in red wine. Resveratrol protects grapes and some other
plants against fungal infections. It has been shown previously to
have a number of potentially beneficial properties, including antioxidant,
anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
With all these traditional foods on the Jewish festival table adding
health benefits to our rituals, we can say with sincerity, "Happy
and healthy."
Judith Broder Sellner, a freelance writer based in New York,
writes on a variety of Jewish lifestyle subjects, including kosher
food and wine.
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