Cabbage Research Shows Health Benefits
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Cabbage Research Shows Health Benefits Kills bacteria and viruses and stimulates the immune system; helps prevent colon cancer and ulcers; is excellent as a vitalizing agent and blood purifier, according to the American Medicine Journal; cabbage's healing properties are only present if taken raw (juice is best). Research Shows Health Benefits of Cabbage. Several clinical studies have found cabbage to be effective in warding off diseases, specifically, cancer: In their article "Vegetables, Fruit and Phytoestrogens as Preventive Agents, " Drs. Potter and Steinmetz from Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, reviewed 205 studies and, based on the evidence provided in these studies, included cruciferous vegetables (of which cabbage is a member) into the list of foods containing preventive phytoestrogens. They wrote:
Scientists from the Cancer Research Laboratory, University of Auckland, New Zealand, investigated the role of micronutrients in healthy nutrition and concluded that some micronutrients that seemed to play a protective role in cancer are beta-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C. In addition to those chemicals with an established role in nutrition, there is also a less well-defined group of chemicals, often referred to as phytochemicals, which may prove even more important. Examples here are a group of sulphur-containing chemicals present in brassicaceous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, that appear to be very effective anticarcinogens.(2) In the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, New York University, researchers aimed to identify specific phytochemicals in Brassica vegetables, such as sulforaphane in broccoli that may confer protection against cancer.(3) In China (Department of Epidemiology, Harbin Medical College, Heilongjiang), consumption of cabbage was found to protect against brain tumor development. Consumption of fresh vegetables-- specifically that of Chinese cabbage and onion -- fruit, fresh fish and poultry was inversely related to the risk of developing brain cancer. (4) One of the most impressive results came from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Nutrition and Food Research Institute. The results of 94 studies showed that with an increase in the consumption of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, the risk of many types of cancer decreased.(5) Not Just Cancer Studies conducted by the Department of Applied Biological Science, Tokyo Noko University, concluded that cabbage is also good for keeping cholesterol levels low. Cabbage was found to contain S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide, which suppresses hypercholesterolemia by upregulating cholesterol catabolism. (6) Cruciferous vegetables Broccoli, Brussels_Sprouts, "Cauliflower, and cabbage—contain a substance called Indole_3_Carbinol (I3C). In preliminary research, I3C has been reported to affect the metabolism of estrogen in a way that might protect against breast and other female cancers, an idea supported by animal and test tube research. Diindolylmethane (DIM) is another substance found in cruciferous vegetables. Test tube and animal studies suggest that it may help protect against breast cancer. However, no clinical trials with cancer patients given DIM have yet been published. Cabbage (including bok choy). Revered in ancient Rome as a cancer cure. Contains numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. Speeds up estrogen metabolism, is thought to help block breast cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a prelude to colon cancer. Eating cabbage more than once a week cut men's colon cancer odds 66 percent. As little as two daily tbsp. of cooked cabbage protected against stomach cancer. Contains anti-ulcer compounds; cabbage juice helps heal ulcers in humans. Has anti-bacterial and anti-viral powers. Can cause flatulence in some. Some of these important compounds are destroyed by cooking. Raw cabbage, as in cole slaw, appears to have stronger overall health value. The health benefits of the cabbage are now well known and still, this vegetable does not seem to be present in our diet. Studies suggest that it should be brought to our table 2 to 3 times a week. If you are reluctant to eat some because of the flatulences it produces, you will see that they are some tips to help overcome this trouble. Health benefits The most interesting property of this vegetable is its power to reduce the risk of developing a colon cancer. Studies have shown that population who eat large amounts of cabbage have low rate of colon cancer. This is due to its high content in "../../dossiers/en/fibres/index.html" and chemicals. Fibers help our intestines to stay healthy by increasing our transit movements. Cabbage also contains chemicals that inhibit tumor growth and protect cells against free radicals. Some of its chemicals are believed to speed up the body's metabolism of estrogen and therefore reduce the incidence of breast, uterus and ovaries cancer. Cabbage is also an
excellent source of vitamin C and "../../vegetarisme/en/vit_a.html"
(vitamin A precursor). These anti-oxidants are helpful to fight free radicals
that are circulating in our body and increase our process of aging. Raw, the cabbage is a good source of "../../dossiers/en/folic/index.html" which lowers the risk of having babies with Spina bifida. Juiced cabbage promotes healing of some ulcers. Cabbage also reduces risk of heart disease and stroke, alleviate rheumatisms and skin problems. On top of all these properties, this vegetable is low in calories. Caution:
Indoles
found in cruciferous vegetables - cabbage, broccoli Brussels sprouts, Sources: Arizona
Cancer Center, PMA, National Cancer Institute, The Packer Isothiocyanates
(ITCs) Found in Brussels sprouts cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli Sources: Arizona
Cancer Center, PMA, National Cancer Institute, The Packer Phenolic Acid
found in cruciferous vegetable, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, celery, parsley,
soy, flaxseed, citrus, whole grains, cherries, berries. Sources: Arizona
Cancer Center, PMA, National Cancer Institute, The Packer Scientists had thought that any anticancer benefits from brassicas traced to sulforaphane (SN: 9/20/97, p. 183) and indole-3 carbinol (SN: 3/6/99, p. 157). The findings by Helferich's team suggest these foods might offer even more "potentially important" agents and point toward a new class of drugs to reduce cancer risk, observes Barnett Zumoff, chief of endocrinology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Color: GREEN Nutrient:
Anthocyanin Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cress, broccoli, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, radish, rutabaga, and turnip and collard greens contain chemicals that help the body detoxify cancer-causing agents. The ancient Romans revered cabbage as an anti-cancer medicine. -- Cancer fighters: The people who eat the most cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables have less cancer -- especially colon, stomach and breast cancer -- than other people. One famous study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that men who ate cabbage once a week had 66 percent less colon cancer than men who never ate it. Only a couple of tablespoons of cooked cabbage a day reduced the risk of stomach cancer in China's Heilong-jiang province. Lung cancer patients who ate the most fruits and vegetables, especially broccoli, survived a year and a half longer than those who skimped on produce, according to University of Hawaii research. How they may prevent breast cancer: How they may prevent breast cancer: Scientists have discovered two ways that cruciferous vegetables may work to block breast cancer. Cabbage chemicals called indoles induce the body to burn off a form of estrogen that promotes breast cancer, according to research by H. Leon Bradlow at the Strang Cornell Cancer Research Laboratory in New York City. Getting rid of this estrogen, he says, lowers women's risk of breast cancer. These indoles also are in broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. In tests, eating the indoles in one-fifth of a head of cabbage revved up estrogen removal in 85 percent of women; eating any amount of cruciferous vegetables, Bradlow says, may help inhibit breast cancer. Further, feeding collard greens and cabbage to animals injected with tumor cells blocked the spread of cancers, according to investigators at the University of Nebraska. Cruciferous veggies. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are rich in a chemical, indole-3-carbinol, that helps to rid the body of cancer-promoting estrogen, show tests by H. Leon Bradlow at Strang Cornell Cancer Research Laboratory. Eating such vegetables should cut breast cancer odds, its recurrence and metastasis (spread). In tests, an effective dosage equaled eating one-quarter of a head of cabbage a day. Raw is best; light cooking is OK; heavy cooking destroys indoles. Lower estrogen benefits start to kick in within a week. Crucifers including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, mustard greens, radishes, rutabaga, turnips and watercress, all include powerful phytochemnicals that help stave off cancer by stimulating protective enzymes, which block carcinogens from entering cells and suppress tumor growth. These foods help guard against bladder cancer. Men who ate three or more servings of vegetables a day had a 48 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than men who ate fewer than one serving a day," he concluded. According to Dr. Kristal [University of Washington], many types of vegetables showed a protective effect, but the strongest effect was seen with cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.
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