Beta Carotene in Carrots May Increase Activity of Natural Killer Cells
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Beta Carotene in Carrots May Increase Activity of Natural Killer Cells Eating foods high in beta- carotene has been linked in many studies to lower rates of breast cancer. Tip: Baby carrots beta-carotene is more absorbable then regular carrots and carrots beta-carotene is 500% more absorbable than in raw carrots. Carrots contain a lot of beta carotene, which may help reduce a wide range of cancers including lung, mouth, throat, stomach, intestine, bladder, prostate and breast. Some research indicated beta carotene may actually cause cancer, but this has not proven that eating carrots, unless in very large quantities - 2 to 3 kilos a day, can cause cancer. In fact, a substance called falcarinol that is found in carrots has been found to reduce the risk of cancer, according to researchers at Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS). Kirsten Brandt, head of the research department, explained that isolated cancer cells grow more slowly when exposed to falcarinol. This substance is a polyacethylen, however, so it is important not to cook the carrots. .Carrots Two carrots every day supply enough beta carotene to cut the risk of stroke in half among men who have signs of heart disease, according to one study. In another study, women who ate five or more servings of carrots per week had a stroke rate 68% lower than those who ate only one serving. However, diabetics may want to limit the amount of carrots they consume since they contain high amounts of natural sugars. Colorful carrots Thank carotenoids for the bright orange, red and yellow color of fruits and vegetables; dark green vegetables also contain these pigments. Much research attention has been devoted to the anticancer benefits of beta carotene, found in apricots, papaya, sweet potatoes, mangoes and carrots. Study after study has shown that people with diets rich in this carotenoid have a lower risk of lung, breast, stomach and other cancers. It’s an effective cancer fighter perhaps because it not only rids the body of free radicals that can lead to cancerous cell changes, but also converts into vitamin A, which makes cells specialized and less likely to turn cancerous. Scientists speculate that other carotenoids may be even more potent. Beta-carotene: found in cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes. Benefit: studies suggest that consuming beta-carotene may be effective in reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men who have low blood levels of beta-carotene. But that's not all that carrots can do for you. The beta-carotene in carrots is an anti-oxident combating the free radicals that contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Medical studies conducted in Texas and Chicago indicate that men with the high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin C had a 37% lower risk of cancer than the men with lower levels. Carrots also contain another anti-oxident called alpha-carotene. A study conducted in Bethesda, MD concluded that men who consume high amounts of alpha carotene have a lower incidence of lung cancer. Cancer prevention The active ingredients studied in this research were carotenoids. They are one of a group of chemicals known as antioxidants that are thought to protect against cancer. Dr Sue Southon, from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, led the research, which is reported in New Scientist magazine. She said that while the gut could absorb between three and four per cent of the carotenoids in raw carrots, that could increase by up to five times if the carrots were cooked and mashed. "One of the problems with getting carotenoids into your body is the structure of the food, particularly the tough-walled cells like those in carrots. Cooking helps to release them," Dr Southon told the magazine. The team also found that it was easier for the body to absorb vitamins from vegetables than from supplements. The scientists - from the UK, the Netherlands Spain, Ireland and France - conducted their study using an artificial gut. Michelle Santos, et al, writing in the November 1996 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, notes that beta carotene may increase the activity of natural killer cells. This is an important point, as natural killer (NK) cell activity has been postulated to be an immunologic link between beta carotene and cancer prevention. The article states that, "Our results show that long-term beta carotene supplementation enhances NK cell activity in elderly men, which may be beneficial for viral and tumoral surveillance." Last year, Harvard
Medical School released research that indicates that beta carotene can sharply
reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men with low beta carotene blood levels.
(Cancer Weekly Plus, June 9, 1997). In this research, the diets, lifestyles, and
health of more than 22,000 male doctors were observed. Half of the doctors were
given 50 mg (80,000 IU) of beta carotene every other day. The findings indicated
that physicians with low levels of beta carotene were one-third more likely to
develop prostate cancer. The doctors who supplemented with beta carotene were 36
percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ate few beta
carotene-rich fruits and vegetables and did not take beta carotene supplements. 1) increased
consumption of beta carotene is strongly associated with reduced risk of cancer; Arthritis experts
have known for years that free radicals (harmful renegade molecules) are present
in the fluid of the joint lining, and that they increase in joints inflamed by
RA. Related research has shown that patients with RA have lower blood levels of
beta carotene than patients without RA. Carrots. Betacarotene in carrots converts to vitamin A, which benefits the eyes, skin and immune system. Eating carrots also may be linked to a reduced risk of lung cancer. Cooking carrots and eating them with a little fat helps increase nutrient absorption. All deep-orange fruits and vegetables are also good sources, including sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe and apricots. A good serving: One medium carrot. Vegetables,
Sulforaphane Glucosinolate (SGS™) A staggering 10.3 million new cancer cases are diagnosed each year worldwide, making cancer prevention a top public health priority. Fortunately, the right diet can be a powerful weapon against development of this devastating disease. According to a recent international report "http://www.aicr.org/report2.htm" changes in diet may prevent 30 to 40 percent of cancer cases, or three to four million cases annually.
Health experts agree there is compelling _ Grapes &
Berries = ellagic acid Recent Evidence In recent years, studies have linked a variety of carotenoids with the prevention of several different kinds of cancer. For example, a recent study, published in the February 2000 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggested a link between lutein (a carotenoid found in large proportions in spinach, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, oranges and orange juice, carrots, celery and greens) and a reduced risk of colon cancer. Another study, published in 1995 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found a link between lycopene (a carotenoid found in tomato-based foods) and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. A Groundbreaking Harvard Study A more recent study focused on the relationship between carotenoids and the risk of lung cancer. In a paper published in the October 2000 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School tracked the diets of more than 124,000 men and women from 1984 to 1996. They found that a diet featuring a variety of carotenoids was associated with a 32 percent drop in the incidence of lung cancer, some of the strongest evidence so far linking carotenoids with a reduced lung cancer risk. Significantly, this study focused on consumption of alpha-carotene, as opposed to beta-carotene, which had been the focus of earlier studies. Dr. Williams Not long ago, I mentioned that I think the nutritional supplements of the future will be extracts of fruit and vegetables, and I've received letters ever since asking me "which ones?" Well, one of my favorites has to be the carrot. Apparently, Bugs Bunny has known about the benefits of the carrot for years, but unfortunately, the general public has largely overlooked it. While it would be a challenge for any of us to eat five plus carrots a day, you can easily get their nutritional value by juicing them. So few people really understand this important extracting aspect of juicing. Unfortunately, too many of us prefer to take a pill. But in actuality, the same holds true for juicing pretty much any vegetable or fruit-it gives you maximum nutrition with minimal stress on your digestive system. Plus, since your body doesn't have to deal with the bulky fiber, the nutrients pass into your bloodstream almost immediately. The fact that carrots are full of nutrition has been known for quite some time. Ancient records reveal that practically every civilization has used the carrot plant medicinally:
It's a small wonder. When you look at a detailed, chemical analysis of the carrot, you can begin to see just how powerful it can be. But today, I'd like to specifically look at how carrots are heart healthy and have incredible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The pectin and lecithin in carrots have been shown in research to be effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Regular carrot consumption has also been linked to a decreased incidence of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) and can also help reduce the risk of stroke. Carrots can even act as a natural diuretic that helps rid the body of excess fluid, which, if untreated, can lead to high blood pressure. In short, carrots are very good for your heart. Cardiovascular health is enhanced when the arteries supplying the heart muscle with blood remain undamaged and open. Conventional treatments for maintaining a healthy heart can be risky and expensive. Natural ways to prevent the need for such treatments in the first place exist, and carrots are just one of the foods I recommend. Carrots are a rich source of beta-carotene, which is converted in your body to vitamin A. Beta-carotene quickly became a popular nutritional supplement a few years back when researchers discovered it was a powerful antioxidant that could protect smokers and ex-smokers against lung and laryngeal cancer. But beta-carotene isn't really my point here. I'm talking specifically about carrots. So before you run to the health food store for a bottle of beta-carotene, let me explain why eating a couple of carrots might be an even better deal. Beta-carotene is just one of the many carotenoids that have been identified and isolated. Carrots not only contain beta carotene, they have alpha carotene, epsilon carotene, gamma carotene, lycopene, and dozens, maybe hundreds, more compounds that have yet to be identified. All carotenes appear to exhibit antioxidant activity and potentiate each other's overall activity. It would be a serious mistake to think that a single beta-carotene supplement would provide the same protection as the combination of all the carotenes found in carrots. In addition to the carrot's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, it has been found that carrots increase the activity and the body levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a powerful enzyme. SOD is a very effective antioxidant that has been found to be of enormous benefit in treating arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis. Based on these findings, SOD supplements have been sold over-the-counter for years. Unfortunately, most research indicates that taking SOD orally has little, if any, positive effects. Effective, injectable forms of SOD are available, but they are used very little in this country. With carrots and/or carrot juice, you can increase SOD levels without resorting to questionable oral supplements or the hassle and expense of injectables. Carrots are a rich source of beta-carotene, which is converted in your body to vitamin A. Beta-carotene quickly became a popular nutritional supplement a few years back when researchers discovered it was a powerful antioxidant that could protect smokers and ex-smokers against lung and laryngeal cancer. Eating a couple of medium-sized carrots a day is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve your health. I find it amazing that in just about every study, research shows you can reap all of these benefits by just eating a couple of carrots a day. It's not often that you'll find something that will do everything from cleansing your liver and improving your skin -- to helping halt tumor growth. It would take me a couple of pages just to list the various nutritional components found in carrots, but I think this Health Dispatch will help you better understand the benefits of this miraculous plant. If you're not yet on a carrot kick, I would suggest you start. It's the type of program we all like -- inexpensive, easy, tasty, and above all, nutritious.
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