Today our foods are Onions, Peppers and Persimmon. I can remember when I was younger, my mother would tell me to eat raw onions when I had a cold. My sister, who always tries to do things naturally instead of relying on the latest, over the counter remedy, or pharmaceuticals prescribed by so many physicians, says to boil an onion and squeeze the juice in your ear to relieve an earache. I'm sure there are many age-old remedies that revolve around the onion. Onions fall into the Allium vegetable category, along with scallions, garlic, chives and leeks. Research shows that the same ingredient that give the onion its pungent smell can fight cancer and have anti-tumor effects. They also help prevent thrombosis, reduce hypertension, and raise your good cholesterol.

Peppers, whether they are red, yellow, green or purple are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C. Peppers are also high in potassium, low in calories, and have contain more vitamin C than oranges. Peppers can be eaten raw, which, with any vegetable is the best way to eat them, cooked, steamed or dried and added as flavoring to many of your dishes.

There have been many medicinal uses for Persimmons over the centuries, including relief of diarrhea, lowering blood pressure, settling asthma attacks and quieting coughs. Research shows that it does quiet down the digestive system, reduces cholesterol, alleviates hang-overs and treats bruises. Persimmons are a good source of dietary fiber, sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron. Other research, not yet done on humans, indicate that persimmons help metabolize fat and reduce overall cholesterol. The persimmon has been used for centuries in Japan to treat stroke.