{"id":11008,"date":"2026-04-13T17:59:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T17:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/?p=11008"},"modified":"2026-04-13T17:59:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T17:59:01","slug":"9-foods-that-have-medicinal-properties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/?p=11008","title":{"rendered":"9 Foods that have medicinal properties"},"content":{"rendered":"

Food is nature\u2019s No. 1 medicine \u2014 and certain veggies, fruits, carbs and proteins provide specific health benefits without some of the unpleasant side effects associated with prescriptions and over-the-counter medications.<\/p>\n

With just a few simple changes, like adding pomegranate seeds to your breakfast oatmeal or tossing an extra garlic knob into your spaghetti sauce, you can instantly boost your immune system and increase your body\u2019s capacity for healing itself from within. They may even save you a trip or two to the doctor.<\/p>\n

1. Red cabbage<\/p>\n

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How simple are salads? Next time you\u2019re looking for an easy, fresh side dish that goes with anything, be sure to add red cabbage to your green lettuce because it\u2019s loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory support. In fact, you can chalk up their deep purple color to a high concentration of anthocyanin polyphenols, which are plant compounds that promote heart health, cognitive function and brain health, all while preventing the lipid peroxidation of \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol, says Kate Gavlick, nutritionist and writer for Deckopedia. \u201cThis means that this cabbage keeps both your ticker and your noggin in tip-top shape,\u201d Gavlick says.<\/p>\n

2. Red grapes<\/p>\n

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Who knew purple was so therapeutic? You may have already heard that red wine and red grapes contain resveratrol, which is being touted as an anti-aging wonder, but wait, there\u2019s more. \u201cResveratrol is noted to be one heart healthy plant compound and may help in the reduction of oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, and the prevention of platelet aggregation,\u201d Gavlick says. \u201cGood news: resveratrol may be more bioavailable in red wine, so enjoy a glass in moderation!\u201d<\/p>\n

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\nMore: 13 Awesome garden herbs that double as health supplements<\/p>\n

3. Butternut squash<\/p>\n

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Not only is it the perfect autumn\/winter veggie \u2014 one that makes the most sumptuously sweet soup on the planet \u2014 but as it turns out, butternut squash can also keep the flu and common cold far, far away. \u201cWinter squash contains vitamin A, which is necessary for properly functioning eyesight, red blood cell production, and an up and running immune system,\u201d Gavlick says. \u201cIn fact, vitamin A deficiencies are associated with a weakened immunity and a higher chance of catching infectious diseases.\u201d Because vitamin A is fat-soluble, the best way to enjoy winter squash is by cooking it with a healthy fat such as coconut or olive oil.<\/p>\n

4. Brussels sprouts<\/p>\n

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Suffering from pains associated with a recent injury? Load up on Brussels sprouts, which contain 240 percent of your daily intake of vitamin K, Gavlick says. She explains vitamin K is \u201can essential fat soluble vitamin necessary for responding to injuries, bone health, and the prevention of calcification in the arteries.\u201d Brussels sprouts are delicious when roasted in the oven \u2014 or can be steamed or added to any salad.<\/p>\n

5. Pomegranate seeds<\/p>\n

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Not only are they the perfect combo of sweet and tart (and they\u2019re cute to boot), but pomegranate seeds are also an excellent source of antioxidants. \u201cPomegranate seeds are noted to contain 2-3 times the antioxidant capacity of green tea and red wine, which means they help to keep your cells free and clear of oxidative stress and overly reactive oxygen species,\u201d Gavlick says.<\/p>\n

6. Scallions<\/p>\n

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Feel a scratchy throat or sniffle come on? Stop everything you\u2019re doing and reach for scallions to add to your soup, salad, ginger tea or (my personal favorite) potato pancakes. \u201cIt helps the body sweat out toxins,\u201d says Stacey Isaacs \u2014 a trained chef with a master\u2019s degree in Oriental medicine and a license in acupuncture \u2014 who runs the blog There\u2019s a Cook in my Kitchen. \u201cScallions are antiviral and antibacterial; they are good for the common cold and general nasal congestion \u2014 just don\u2019t eat too many if you have a fever.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Garlic<\/p>\n

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Garlic is another Chinese herb (called \u201cda suan\u201d) that has antiviral and antibacterial properties \u2014 and it doesn\u2019t hurt that it\u2019s dead easy to add to most recipes. \u201cGarlic is used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body,\u201d Isaacs says. \u201cIt\u2019s what I call a great \u2018A\u2019 herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, and antiviral.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. Cucumbers<\/p>\n

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In Chinese medicine, cucumbers are known for having exceptional healing capabilities, Isaacs says. Not only can they cool the body down, but Isaacs says they also expel toxins, purify the blood, strengthen the heart, moisten the large intestines and the lungs and are even thought to be able to kill tapeworms. \u201cThey are good to eat if you have swelling in your hands or feet \u2014 or if you have a bladder infection,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

9. Sunflower seeds<\/p>\n

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Like pomegranate seeds, these versatile babies can be added to oatmeal, granola, pancake batter, salads and even cookies. They boast calcium and magnesium and are often prescribed in Chinese medicine to get rid of rashes, Isaacs says. \u201cSunflower seeds help lower blood pressure and can relieve headaches and dizziness,\u201d she says. \u201cIn Eastern medicine we recommend eating sunflower seeds if a person is troubled by certain severe intestinal symptoms like dysentery or intestinal worms or certain parasites.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Food is nature\u2019s No. 1 medicine \u2014 and certain veggies, fruits, carbs and proteins provide specific health benefits without some of the unpleasant side effects<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11008"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11019,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11008\/revisions\/11019"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}