5 Foods In Your Kitchen That Helps Prevent Cancer

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, an antioxidant carotenoid that gives them their red color. Lycopene is a powerhouse antioxidant that has been found to protect cells and DNA from damage, while also suppressing tumor growth. One of the reasons for abnormal growth of cells, which can lead to cancerous tumors, is poor communication between cells; it's thought that lycopene may stimulate cell-to-cell communication and thereby suppress tumor growth.

Both animal and human studies have found lycopene from tomatoes may help prevent colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, cervical, stomach and pancreatic cancers.

A few tips: Cooked tomatoes, such as those in pasta sauce, tomato juice, ketchup, etc., contain higher concentrations of lycopene than raw tomatoes, so you may get more of this beneficial compound by eating your tomatoes cooked. You'll also want to eat your tomatoes with some olive oil or other fat, as lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient that requires fat in order to be properly absorbed by your body.

Raspberries

Raspberries are an excellent source of ellagic acid, a phytochemical that has shown potent anti-cancer effects. To date, research has shown ellagic acid may help fight cancer by:
  • Acting as an antioxidant
  • Causing cell death to cancer cells
  • Reducing the effect of estrogen in promoting growth of breast cancer cells
  • Helping your liver to break down and remove cancer-causing substances from your body
  • Inhibiting the growth of tumors
Along with raspberries, ellagic acid can also be found in strawberries, cranberries, walnuts, pecans and pomegranates.

Broccoli Sprouts

You may have heard that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are great for helping to fight cancer. This is true, but you can take it one step further by eating broccoli in its immature, or sprout, form.

Broccoli sprouts contain glucoraphanin, a precursor to sulforaphane -- a compound known to help your body eliminate cancer-causing compounds and fight free radicals, which can damage DNA, kill cells and potentially lead to cancer.

Sprouts are a particularly concentrated source of nutrients, and gram for gram they contain more potentially cancer-fighting compounds than mature broccoli. One study even found that eating slightly more than 100 grams of broccoli, radish, alfalfa and clover sprouts a day for 14 days was enough to provide a protective effect.

If you're new to sprouts, try adding them to salads and sandwiches for a tasty and ultra-healthy treat.

Cruciferous Veggies

As mentioned above, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy are also widely known for their cancer-fighting capabilities. Studies have linked the consumption of cruciferous veggies with a reduced risk of colon, lung, bladder, breast, prostate and other cancers.

The beneficial effects come, in part, from indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanates. These glucosinolates are formed when the vegetables are chopped or chewed, and studies show they offer a protective effect against cancer.

Indole-3-carbinol may help deactivate an estrogen metabolite that promotes tumor growth, especially in breast cells, while increasing the level of a form of estrogen that may protect against cancer. This compound may also help stop the movement of cancer cells to other parts of your body.

Further, a study funded by the National Cancer Institute found that eating 1 to 2 cups of cruciferous vegetables a day resulted in a 22 percent drop in oxidative stress, which has been linked to a range of diseases including cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Garlic

The sulfur-containing compounds that give garlic its pungent odor are also responsible for its role as a cancer-fighting food. The National Cancer Institute "recognizes garlic as one of several vegetables with potential anticancer properties," noting that garlic may help support good health by:
  • Blocking the formation of cancer-causing substances
  • Halting the activation of cancer-causing substances
  • Enhancing DNA repair
  • Reducing cell proliferation
  • Inducing cell death
  • Providing antibacterial properties
Population studies have shown that increased intake of garlic may help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas, and breast.
Rex J Camposagrado
Source: EzineArticles

No comments :

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )