Foods and Cancer
Dateline: 07/05/99
The fact bits are based on the materials of Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on
Food and Cancer Prevention
, Ede, The Netherlands
"FOODS MAY PROVIDE THE OPTIMAL MIX OF PHYTOCHEMICALS AND THE BEST POLYPHARMACY AGAINST THE EMERGENCE OF MALIGNANT CLONES." (Cancer Lett, 114(1-2):1-341 1997).
Fruit and vegetables against cancer: no more doubts
The anti-carcinogenic activity of dietary fruit and is likely to be an effect of the combined exposure to a large number of substances acting together. This is plausible, as these compounds are present simultaneously in a diet containing vegetables and fruit. Further, some compounds have been experimentally demonstrated to modify several mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis.
Consumption of fruit and vegetables: how to motivate the population to change their behavior
Subjects rated
their own intake as much higher than their actual intake.
The group of patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer selected diets containing significantly less fruit and vegetables than symptomless controls.
Eat your broccoli raw!
It is well known that natural antioxidants contained in foods are significantly lost during processing.
Processing of brassica vegetables
influences their well known anticancerogenous biological activity.
During juice and nectar production out of the beetroot, decomposition of anticarcinogen factors occurs
Read my own red beet juice soup recipe
Some like it hot
Thermal treatments of tomato and coffee derivatives can induce the formation of compounds with new antioxidant properties
Although the concentration of natural antioxidants was significantly
reduced as a consequence of the thermal treatments, the overall antioxidant properties of the food
products were maintained or even enhanced.
Garlic fights tumors detoxifying the tissues
The studies suggested that the antimutagenic potential of garlic may be mediated through induction of detoxification enzymes in target tissues.
Soya: phytoestrogens work for men, too
Asian men, who consume a low fat/high fiber soya-based diet, have very much lower incidence of prostate cancer than men from North America and Europe.
Brussels sprouts.
The results of epidemiologic studies have shown that consumption of brassica vegetables may diminish cancer risk.
Rosemary
Natural polyphenols found in rosemary have not only potent antioxidant activities but also
anticarcinogenic properties. At least two mechanisms are involved: (i) inhibition of the metabolic activation of procarcinogens; (ii) induction of the detoxification pathway.
To be continued next week
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