Japanese Colorful and Nutritious Potato Balls

1. Easy to Swallow and Digest

• Potato dumplings have a soft and smooth texture, making them easy to swallow, suitable for patients with poor appetite or diminished hunger.
• Potato dumplings are easy to digest and do not burden the digestive system, making them suitable for patients with weaker gastrointestinal function.

2. Enhancing Immune Function

• The zinc in cheese can activate T cells, ensuring the normal functioning of their ability to detect foreign cells, notify other immune cells to fight, and regulate antibody production [1].

3. High Protein and High Calorie

• Potato dumplings provide abundant carbohydrates, proteins, and other nutrients, making them suitable for cancer patients with higher nutritional needs.

4. Antioxidant

• The polyphenols in potato skins can inhibit free radicals and prevent them from combining with carcinogens to form cancer-causing factors, and can also prevent cell mutations [2].
• Potatoes contain vitamins C and E, which have antioxidant effects and can prevent cell mutations, thereby having anti-cancer effects.
• Avocados are rich in vitamin E, which can inhibit free radical activity, repair the damage caused by free radicals, and make free radicals less reactive or transform them into less reactive compounds.
• The β-carotene in carrots can eliminate carcinogenic free radicals, helping to fight tumors and reduce recurrence [3].

5. Helps Reduce Cancer Cell Growth

• The carotenoids in potatoes can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and slow the progression of cancer.
• Carrots are rich in β-carotene, which can be metabolized by the liver and converted into vitamin A. Vitamin A can inhibit the binding of carcinogens to DNA, promote the death of early-stage cancer cells, and control the growth of cancer cells [4].

** Note the calorie, fat, and sodium content of mayonnaise to avoid excessive intake that may lead to weight gain, increase the risk of heart disease, and contribute to high blood pressure.

References

1. Peng-Winkler, Y., Wessels, I., Rink, L., & Fischer, H. J. (2022). Zinc Levels Affect the Metabolic Switch of T Cells by Modulating Glucose Uptake and Insulin Receptor Signaling. Molecular nutrition & food research, 66(9), e2100944. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.202100944
2. Oluyori, A. P., Shaw, A. K., Olatunji, G. A., Rastogi, P., Meena, S., Datta, D., … Puli, S. (2016). Sweet Potato Peels and Cancer Prevention. Nutrition and Cancer, 68(8), 1330–1337. https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2016.1225107
3. Shafiq, M. A., Gul, R., & Nazik, G. (2024). Dietary Carotenoids and their Multifaceted Roles in Cancer Prevention. Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, 4(1), 863–868. https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v4i1.508
4. Rao, E., Hou, Y., Huang, X., Wang, L., Wang, J., Zheng, W., Yang, H., Yu, X., Yang, K., Bugno, J., Ding, X., Vokes, E., Fu, Y.-X., Weichselbaum, R. R., & Liang, H. L. (2021). All-trans retinoic acid overcomes solid tumor radioresistance by inducing inflammatory macrophages. Science Immunology, 6(60). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.aba8426