Cancer Fighting Foods
Print This Post
Nutritionally garlic contains amino-acids, minerals like sulphur, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, potassium, germaneum, zinc and manganese and vitamins like A, B1, B2, C and niacin. Antioxidant property of garlic helps boost the immune system by increasing NK (natural killer) cells. Allysulphides in garlic increase the production of detoxification enzymes that help breakdown cancer-causing compounds and toxins, and enhance their removal from the body. Garlic blocks the growth of cancer cells and kills them outright. Garlic is effective in all types of cancers especially in case of stomach, breast, prostate, lung, colon, skin, oesophagus cancers. Notes: (i) To maximise garlic’s medicinal power, chop or crush cloves of garlic and leave for 10-15 minutes before taking or using it in cooking. This allows active molecules like allicin and its potent derivatives to be fully activated and are much more easily assimilated if they are also dissolved in a little oil like olive or canola oil. (ii) Though acute toxicity of garlic is rare, its reported adverse effects include heartburn, abdominal pain, dermatitis, urticaria, skin blisters, fever and headache, most of these side effects gradually disappear on their own once the use of garlic is stopped.
Onion
— Grown for more than 5,000 years, onion is a great garnishing ingredient to spice up dishes. But did you know that it also has medicinal values and health benefits. Onion, like garlic, is a member of the allium family and both are rich in sulphur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odour and for many of the health-promoting aspects. Onions contain allyprophyldisulphide that can induce the enzymes to detoxify cancer causing agents. Onions are very rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides. These oligomers stimulate the growth of healthy bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon. They can reduce the risk of tumours developing in the colon. Onions help reduce the risk of breast, ovarian, bowel cancers also.
It has been found that some parts of the world, where onion consumption is high, have even shown much lower cancer rates. For example in Georgia, the US, where the small sweet Vedelia onion is grown, the number of stomach cancer diagnoses are a half the average for the rest of the country. In China, where people eat more onions and garlic than anywhere else in the world, the risk of stomach cancer is 40% lower than average.
Chemically onions have carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins such as A, B group, C and folic acid, minerals viz. iron, calcium, potassium and trace mineral chromium. They also contain numerous flavonoids, notably a potent antioxidant quercitin. Onions are carminative, digestive expectorant, diuretic, aphrodisiac, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-arthritic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, anti-clotting (blood thinner), anti-flatulent. Onions are good for liver disorders and blood detoxification, and good appetisers, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels and promote heart health, help lower high blood pressure, cure gastrointestinal disorders, help ease asthma and breathing (respiratory) problems, strengthen bones. Onion juice is helpful in subsiding pain, inflammation and oedema. Note: The therapeutic dose of onion juice is 10 to 30ml whereas raw onions should not be consumed more than 100 gms a day. Excessive consumption of onions can cause symptoms like acidity, belching, nausea and headache. Taking pomegranate juice works as an antidote in such cases.
