FitSugar

Food Pairings to Fight Cancer

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:30:00 PDT

Looking for a food pairing that does more than just intensifies taste and nutrition? Researchers out of the U.K. are suggesting that combining two food components called sulforaphane and selenium - two naturally occurring cancer fighting components found in foods - make them up to 13 times more powerful in attacking cancer together than if they are alone.

OK, so what foods contain these components? Well, foods high in sulforaphane are broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, watercress, and salad rocket (aka arugula). Foods high in selenium include nuts, poultry, fish, eggs, sunflower seeds, and mushrooms. So while we wait for the scientists to learn more, why not sprinkle some mushrooms and/or sunflower seeds onto your arugula? Not only will it be tasty, but the benefits may be hefty in terms of cancer prevention.

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Cabbage and Your Breasts

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:00:35 PDT

Although cabbage is unfortunately associated with the soup diet bearing its name, this leafy veggie is a nutritional powerhouse, and as it turns out, it fights breast cancer too. The American Association for Cancer Research believes it is the phytonutrient sulforaphane found in cabbage that stimulates cells to kill carcinogens. In a Polish study, women who ate cabbage or fermented cabbage in the form of sauerkraut at least four times a week, if not more, were 74 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. If that is not a strong enough reason to add cabbage to your diet, know that it has been found to protect against lung, stomach, and colon cancers as well. High in vitamins K and C, the mineral magnesium, cabbage even a little bit of omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to eat some coleslaw this Summer, but look for recipes that go easy on the mayo.

The connection between cabbage and breasts doesn't end there. To learn more continue reading.

Eat Green, Get Healthy

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:45:00 PDT

St. Patty's Day is all about the green and it is just around the corner. That doesn't only have to mean green beer. There are numerous healthy foods that you can add to your diet to not only up the green, but to also up the health as well. Here are just a few:

Avocado: Avocado is a good source of monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol, said Dr. Vickie Vaclavik, clinical assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern. Avocados also are good sources of both vitamin E and lutein, a natural antioxidant that may help maintain eye health.
Broccolini: It's packed with the cancer-fighting nutrients isothiocyanates, sulforaphane, and indoles all linked with reducing the risk of breast, prostate, cervical, lung, and other cancers and offers as much vitamin C as orange juice, said Dr. Jo Ann Carson, professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern.
Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are another cruciferous vegetable with cancer-fighting phytochemicals. "They're also high in vitamin C and are a good source of folate, vitamin A, and potassium," said Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

There's more so