Tag: Cancer Prevention

Cruciferous Vegetables – Raw, Sauté, Steam, or Fry

Published on by OrganicREADY3 Comments

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I grabbed all of these items before I left the house. I figured, I’ll cut everything up at lunchtime and create my own salad. If you look closely, There’s no lettuce. I thought, I would use my purple cabbage instead. I eat and cook a lot of different cabbages. There are red, green, and Savoy cabbages, and each one contain different patterns of health benefit.

Cabbage is in the cruciferous family along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. A study published in the August 2003 issue of the International Journal of Cancer suggests that eating lots of cruciferous vegetables may provide a significant survival advantage for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. One of the most aggressive cancers, ovarian cancer claims the lives of 14,000 American women each year.

According to the whfoods website there are over 475 studies that have examined the role of this cruciferous vegetable in cancer prevention (and in some cases, cancer treatment). The uniqueness of cabbage in cancer prevention is due to the three different types of nutrient richness found in this widely enjoyed food.

The three types are:
(1) antioxidant richness
(2) anti-inflammatory richness
(3) richness in glucosinolates

Incorporate more cabbage in your diet. They’re great lightly sautéed, juiced, steamed or even eaten raw. My salad has about two 2 cups of red cabbage. I enjoy eating cabbage served up in any style. There are do many different benefits in how you consume cabbage. For an in-depth look at these benefits check out whfoods.org.
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Resources:

Study: Miron A, Hancianu M, Aprotosoaie AC et al. [Contributions to chemical study of the raw polysaccharide isolated from the fresh pressed juice of white cabbage leaves]. Rev Med Chir Soc Med Nat Iasi. 2006 Oct-Dec;110(4):1020-6. 2006.

Study: Higdon JV, Delage B, Williams DE, et al. Cruciferous Vegetables and Human Cancer Risk: Epidemiologic Evidence and Mechanistic Basis. Pharmacol Res. 2007 March; 55(3): 224-236. 2007.
Whfoods.org
Top 12 Tips to Prevent Cancer
Eat Cabbage for Beautiful Skin

Food Fact: Cranberries

Published on by OrganicREADY5 Comments

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A substantial number of recent studies have shown that whole fresh cranberries consumed in dietary form—in comparison with purified cranberry extracts consumed in either liquid or dried supplement form—do a better job of protecting our cardiovascular system and our liver.

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This rule about whole/fresh dietary intake of cranberries appears to apply to the antioxidant benefits, anti-inflammatory benefits, and anti-cancer benefits of cranberry. The cancer-preventive benefits of cranberries are now known to extend to cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and prostate. The bar for cranberries are as high as blueberries. They’re powerhouses of aniti-cancer fighting properties.

Basically, fresh is best! However, it’s easier at times to open up a can of cranberries for the holidays. I know based off of experience the length of time that goes into preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Cranberry sauce was the last thing from my mind to prepare, so I was that person who opened cans of jellied cranberry sauce. I also grew up watching my mother do it, so I did eventually. This year, my aunt is hosting and preparing the feast, so my contribution will be a fresh salad and guess what…fresh cranberries. After reading about the benefits of cranberries, I will never open up another can of jellied cranberry sauce in my house. As for my parents house, that’s another story.

Cranberries health highlights:
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Cardiovascular Benefits
Immune Support
Antioxidant Protection
Anti-Cancer Protection
Digestive Tract Benefits

For an in-depth reading click here