to the Allium family of vegetables which also
includes onions, chives, shallots and leeks. Current research
has shown that a number of readily available foods such as
garlic and onions that make up a healthy diet, actually have a
major impact on cancer prevention. These cancer fighting foods
seem to have the ability to interfere with the development of
cancerous tumors. Cancer fighting foods all contain large
amounts of certain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals were
developed by nature to protect plants against damage caused by
insects, disease and environmental stress. These phytochemical
molecules are the ones that give fruits and vegetables their
brilliant colors, provide the smell to garlic and the
astringent taste to tea. It is very likely that these
phytochemicals, not the vitamins and minerals, that are the
source of the cancer prevention capabilities of these healthy
foods.
Current research on the anti-cancer potential of the Allium
family – particularly garlic – seems to show that these
vegetables seem to reduce the incidence of cancers of the
digestive system. Studies have also shown that garlic may also
help prevent prostrate cancer. Garlic and onions contain
allicin which is unstable and breaks down into a number of
phytochemical compounds including diallyl sulfide and diallyl
disulfide which appear to increase the ability of immune cells
to fight cancer and also break down cancer causing toxic
substances. These sulfur-based phytochemicals fight tumor
development and are capable of neutralizing the effect of
potential nitrite carcinogens which are used as preservatives
in some foods. Studies have linked garlic, onions, leeks and
chives to lower risk of cancers of the digestive system. The
protective effect of garlic seems to be greater than that of
onions, even though onion consumption has been shown to reduce
the risk of stomach cancer. Most of the available research
comes from epidemiologic observational studies comparing
populations who do or do not consume garlic and onions. Other
studies are based on animal trials and cell culture studies.
The October 2000 issue of the American Journal of Nutrition had
a summary of a number epidemiologic studies which showed that
people who consumed cooked or raw garlic on a regular basis
compared to those that ate little or none had about half the
risk of stomach cancer and one-third less risk of colorectal
cancer. These studies did not show that garlic supplements had
the same benefits. It should be noted that these studies are
not yet verified by clinical trials in human populations.
Our garlic consumption in North America is much less than many
other areas of the world even though population areas where
large quantities of garlic are consumed seem to have
significantly fewer cancers of the digestive system. In the US,
only 20% of the population eats more than 2 grams of garlic per
week. Excessive garlic consumption can have adverse effects
including bad breath, allergic reactions, stomach disorders and
diarrhea. Freshly crushed garlic should be our choice as a
source for the anti-cancer compounds we require.
Eating a healthy balanced diet can provide our bodies with many
thousands of different phytochemicals. However not all fruits,
vegetables and other plant products provide the best
anti-cancer phytochemicals. The ten best groups of anti-cancer
foods are discussed in our website
www.benefits-of-antioxidants.com . They include: berries and
citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions, green
tea, omega-3 essential fatty acids, olive oil, tomatoes, soy
products, red wine and dark chocolate.
About The Author: Mark Ransome is a contributing editor and
writer for the popular new website -
http://www.benefits-of-antioxidants.com. Visitors to
http://www.benefits-of-antioxidants.com will have access to a
summary of the ten best cancer prevention foods and a new free
diet and weight loss program – The Psychiatrist’s Weight Loss
Program.
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid#112942
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