Published July 21, 2005
in Cancer.
HOUSTON, Jul 12, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) — Turmeric, a spice that is a key ingredient in Indian curry dishes, contains a potent cancer-fighting agent, the New York Daily News reported Tuesday.
A study published in the upcoming issue of Cancer magazine related that curcumin, a chemical pigment in turmeric, helped stop the spread of breast cancer tumor cells to the lungs of mice.
Now doctors have launched clinical tests to see if it works on humans, said Bharat Aggarwal of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who led the study.
Earlier studies suggest that people who eat diets rich in turmeric have lower rates of breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer, Aggarwal said.
He noted that many cancers are 10 times rarer on the Indian subcontinent than in the West.
Continue reading ‘Curry spice found to fight cancer’
Published July 21, 2005
in Cancer.
New research reaffirms the potential value of green tea as a natural substance able to stop cancer before it starts.
“What we do in our conference every year is focus on what the scientists are talking about,” said Jeffrey Prince, vice president for education and communications of the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Prince and others spoke at a news briefing at AICR’s annual International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer in Washington. He said this year’s conference includes six separate presentations on the benefits of green tea — and no tea companies were involved in the research.
The AICR also released the “New American Plate Cookbook,” featuring recipes designed to promote smaller portion sizes and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.
“The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends a mostly plant-based diet to people concerned with reducing cancer risk,” Prince said.
Many plant-based foods are rich in anti-oxidants, which limit damage to cells and tissues that toxins and pollutants cause by slowing the rate of certain chemical reactions.
The active ingredient in green tea is a compound called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, a stronger anti-oxidant than is contained in either vitamin C or E, according to an AICR fact sheet. Green tea is made from the same plant as black tea and oolong tea, but the leaves are not fermented during processing, which apparently preserves the plant’s cancer-fighting compounds.
Continue reading ‘Green tea suggests cancer cure’
