Cow's Milk Counteracts Tea's Cardioprotective Effects

Photo Credit: Naama

Adding cow's milk to tea counteracts tea's beneficial blood-vessel relaxing effects, shows a study published in the European Heart Journal (Lorenz M, Jochmann N, et al., January 2007).

FULL STORY:

Sixteen healthy women volunteers drank 16 ounces of either freshly brewed black tea, black tea with 10% skimmed cow's milk, or boiled water as a control. After the women had consumed their assigned liquid, researchers used ultrasound to measure how well their brachial artery (the primary artery supplying blood to the arm) relaxed and expanded after a blood pressure cuff that had been inflated for 5 minutes on participants' forearms was deflated - a challenge test called "flow-mediated dilation."

Flow-mediated dilation gives a functional "video clip," showing how well blood vessels are able to respond to a sudden increase in blood flow, and is often used to help determine an individual's risk for heart disease.

Black tea significantly improved flow-mediated dilation compared with water, but adding milk completely blunted tea's beneficial effects.

To confirm these findings, similar experiments were performed in laboratory studies using isolated rat blood vessels and endothelial (blood vessel lining) cells. Once again, while tea increased the activity of the enzyme in endothelial cells that promotes relaxation (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) and promoted blood vessel dilation, these beneficial effects were completely inhibited when cow's milk was added to the tea.

Why does cow's milk short-circuit tea's cardio-protective effects? Casein proteins found in cow's milk bind to the helpful catechins in tea, preventing them from doing their protective work.

Practical Tip: To reap tea's protective effects against cardiovascular disease, enjoy your tea au naturel or, if you love "milk tea," try substituting a little soy milk or rice milk for cow's milk.

Reference:

Lorenz M, Jochmann N, von Krosigk A, Martus P, Baumann G, Stangl K, Stangl V. Addition of milk prevents vascular protective effects of tea. Eur Heart J. 2007 Jan;28(2):219-23. Epub 2007 Jan 9.

Related Topics:

• Antioxidants in Green and Black Tea
• 9 Steps to Eating Healthier

Technorati Tags: tea, cows milk, heart, alternative medicine, complimentary medicine, health and wellness

Whole Health

Photo Credit: Mari

With the release of the new whole-wheat Krispy Kreme donut, we find ourselves reflecting on what it is to be a health food.

Yes, the whole wheat Krispy Kreme donut has 3 times as much fiber as its white counterpart, but that's still less than half the amount provided by a small pear. Both donuts have equal amounts of sugar and fat (almost 20% of your daily value in 1 donut). In fact, both donuts contain more trans fat than saturated fat! (Even more harmful than LDL-cholesterol raising saturated fat, trans fats not only increase LDL, but also decrease protective HDL-cholesterol.)

In another example of supposedly healthful improvements that don't fix the core problem, some restaurants are making their deep-fat fryers trans-fat free. While excluding trans fat is great, the oil used in commercial deep fat fryers is generally changed only once a week, so the fat, which is heated to high temperatures all day long every day, becomes highly oxidized and loaded with free radicals harmful to our tissues, even without the trans fat.

But is this the best way to criticize an aspiring health food? Maybe we should instead complain because we can't imagine a donut growing.

An Introduction to Whole Foods

What are whole foods? Minimally processed foods that once had a life of their own and retain the vast majority of their nutrients, such as an apple, a fish, and brown rice.

Processed foods typically have most of their nutrients removed and chemicals added to bleach, color, preserve, modify the texture, and add back flavor. Their chemistry may also be altered in a harmful way (such as the oil being oxidized when exposed to high heat, air, and light).

Even refined grains in the U.S. are good sources of the vitamins B1, B2, B3. Why? Not because they are naturally present in whole grains since they are refined out during processing, but because they are legally required to be added back in to prevent people from developing severe deficiency diseases, such as berberi and pellagra.

But B vitamins are far from all that's lost in the refining process. There are thousands of beneficial phytochemicals (non-vitamin, non-mineral compounds), such as polyphenols, that are continuously being discovered in plant foods, which are eliminated during processing. It is neither practical nor financially viable for food manufacturers to add back in all of the healthful compounds we currently know about that were originally provided by the whole food.

Since people began analyzing the constituents of foods in labs, they have viewed foods as a sum of their parts. But foods are a lot more than their vitamins, minerals, protein, fat and carbohydrate, and overemphasizing the importance of a single compound causes trouble. For example, when we remove naturally occurring fat to make a food low-fat, we typically lose the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K as well.

Fad diets are a great example of latching onto a component of food, like carbs, fat, or macronutrient ratios, instead of focusing on whether the food itself promotes health. When we look at populations of the world in which people live long and healthy lives, we find that they enjoy a colorful and varied diet of whole foods, and that when they begin to eat processed foods, their rates of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer skyrocket.

Finding Real "Health" Food

Photo Credit: Mary Gaston

Real health foods are whole, nutrient-dense and minimally processed. Even though there is one whole food ingredient in the new Krispy Kreme donut, it is not a health food because the rest of its ingredients are heavily processed, and it is cooked in an unhealthy way. Whole wheat bread products should be satisfyingly chewy, not soft and weightless like white bread.

Real health foods often need refrigeration, but usually require little or no packaging. If they are packaged, their ingredient list will be short and comprised of words you recognize as foods. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store and don't go down the aisles, or better yet, shop at a farmer's market offering locally grown foods.

References:

1. Suzuki M, Wilcox BJ, Wilcox CD. Implications from and for food cultures for cardiovascular disease: longevity. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2001;10(2):165-71.
2. Weisburger JH. Lifestyle, health and disease prevention: the underlying mechanisms. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2002 Aug;11 Suppl 2:S1-7.
3. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston Andrew Price. (La Mesa, CA: Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation; 2004)

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Superfoods - Pumpkin, Walnuts, Spinach, Kale
• WebMD Video: Eating by the Numbers

Technorati Tags: whole foods, whole grains, Krispy Kreme, trans-fat, health-and-wellness

Java - No Jive, It May Be Good for You

Photo Credit: .shyam.

I frequently lecture to both conventional and professional audiences. A question I am often asked, "Is coffee bad for me?" As I like to make my answers based on data, this has been difficult to answer as the coffee research has been surprisingly inconsistent. Happily, several recent studies have finally provided clarity.

In the ongoing debate over whether coffee is good or bad for health, a number of recent studies suggest that - if you don't have high blood pressure or problems clearing caffeine - American's favorite brew may do a lot more than perk you up in the morning.

Recent epidemiological (population) studies suggest that coffee may help lessen risk of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease and liver disease (cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma). (Higdon JV, Frei B.,Critical Review Food Science Nutrition 2006; Montella M, Polesel J, et al. Int J Cancer 2007; Kalda A, Yu L, et al. J Neurol Sci. 2006)

Data gathered on 88,259 women in the Nurses Health Study II found that coffee drinkers lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 13% if consuming 1 cup per day, 42% for 2-3 cups per day, and 47% for 3 cups per day, compared to non-coffee drinkers.

Interestingly, coffee's beneficial effects were not due to caffeine: these reductions in disease risk were similar for those drinking decaffeinated as well as caffeinated coffee, filtered coffee, and even instant coffee. (van Dam RM, Willett WC, et al., Diabetes Care 2006)

Although caffeine has been considered as a possible risk factor for breast cancer, research suggests otherwise - at least in premenopausal women. A study in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition found that among premenopausal women, consumption of regular (caffeinated) coffee was associated with linear declines in breast cancer risk.

A 40% reduction in risk of breast cancer was seen in premenopausal women drinking at least 4 cups of coffee a day. On the other hand, no clear associations were seen between breast cancer risk and intake of black tea (which also contains caffeine) or decaffeinated coffee. Something else about coffee-most likely its rich concentration of heterocyclic compounds with strong antioxidant activity and polyphenols with anti-cancer actions-is responsible.

Coffee may offer special benefits as we age. If you're over 65 and don't have high blood pressure, daily coffee consumption may offer protection against both cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline:

Data collected for the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiological (NHANES I) by James Greenberg and colleagues at the City and State Universities of New York (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007, 85 (2): 392- 398), revealed that those over 65 with normal blood pressure who drank at least 4 caffeinated beverages a day had a 53% reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease. However, no cardiovascular benefit was seen from coffee consumption in participants with stage 2 hypertension or in those younger than 65.

Results of the FINE study, a long term health study that began in 1966, when 676 healthy men born between 1900 and 1920 in the Netherlands, Finland and Italy, were enrolled, suggest that coffee helps men retain their mental edge as they age (van Gelder et al. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61: 226-232).

Over a 10-year period, study participants' thinking ability was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Results showed that men who drank 3 cups of coffee a day had half the cognitive decline of the men who never drank coffee.

Men who consumed coffee had a 10-year cognitive decline of 1.2 points (4%). Non-consumers experienced a cognitive decline of 2.6 points. An inverse and J-shaped association was observed between the number of cups of coffee consumed and cognitive decline, with the least cognitive decline for 3 cups of coffee per day (0.6 points).

The cognitive decline seen in coffee drinkers was 1/4 the decline the decline in non-consumers.

Animal studies may explain why. In mice with the rodent equivalent of Alzheimer's disease (amyloid-beta induced brain cell atrophy), trigonelline, an active constituent of coffee beans, has been shown to regenerate brain cells (dendrites and axons), resulting in memory improvement.

The caffeine naturally present in coffee, while potentially harmful for the caffeine-sensitive, may give athletes who tolerate it well a significant edge. A small study by UK researchers suggests that caffeine may not only improve alertness, but may boost carbohydrate delivery to cells by up to 26%, enhancing available energy and therefore potentially improving physical performance.

In one study, bicyclists underwent 3 two-hour exercise sessions, cycling at approximately 64% of their maximum output. During each session, the cyclists consumed one of three beverages. All beverages tasted the same, but one contained sugar (glucose), another contained glucose and caffeine, and the third, a control drink, was flavored water (no calories or caffeine). Samples of blood and expired air were taken from the athletes at 15 minute intervals to measure how quickly they absorbed and utilized the carbohydrate. When drinking the beverage containing caffeine, the athletes' carbohydrate oxidation (ability to burn sugar to produce energy) increased by 26%.

While caffeine is present not only in coffee, but in chocolate, drugs, and cola, this study suggests that a cup of coffee with a little sweetener-we prefer honey since it provides other benefits besides glucose-before your workout may improve your performance.

Coffee Caveats

Persons with or at increased risk of developing high cholesterol levels should drink only filtered coffee. Epidemiological studies have linked consumption of boiled, but not filtered, coffee with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moderate daily consumption of filtered coffee, however, has not been associated with any adverse cardiovascular effects.

Why should unfiltered coffee increase CVD risk while filtered coffee does not? Coffee contains two diterpene compounds, cafestol and kahweol, which promote an increase in blood levels of cholesterol but are removed when the coffee is filtered. (Ranheim T, Halvorsen B., Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 2005)

If you are sensitive to caffeine-if coffee gives you the jitters or a cup of coffee in the afternoon keeps you up half the night-caffeinated coffee can increase your risk of a heart attack.

Caffeine is metabolized by an enzyme in the liver called cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2). There are different versions of the gene for this enzyme, one of which is associated with slow and the other with a fast rate of clearance of caffeine from the body. Individuals who have inherited the gene variant CYP1A2*1F allele metabolize caffeine slowly-these are the folks who get speedy and stay awake all night after a couple of cups of coffee or a piece of chocolate-while individuals with the gene variant CYP1A2*1A allele metabolize caffeine rapidly-these people can top off a night out with an espresso and a chocolate mousse and fall asleep an hour later.

Researchers from the University of Toronto, Canada, investigated whether this genetic variation in the gene that detoxifies caffeine could explain the inconsistency in studies, some of which show risk of non-fatal heart attack increases with coffee consumption while others do not. The team determined the genotype and assessed the intake of caffeine from coffee between 1994 and 2004 in 4,018 subjects from Costa Rica: 2,014 who were patients who had had a first acute non-fatal heart attack and 2,014 controls.

Results indicted that 55% of patients and 54% of controls carried the slow *1F allele. Carriers of this allele older than age 59 who consumed 2-3 cups of coffee per day had a 36% increased risk of heart attack, and those who drank 4 or more cups per day had a 64% increased risk.

However, among carriers of the rapid *1A genotype older than 59, coffee consumption resulted in a reduced risk of 25% for those consuming 1 cup, 22% for those consuming 2-3 cups, and 1% for those drinking 4 or more cups daily.

Even more pronounced increases and decreases in risk were seen in individuals younger than 59 years of age:

Among younger individuals with the slow *1F allele, consuming 1 cup of coffee daily increased heart attack risk by 24%, 2-3 cups increased risk by 67%, and 4 or more cups increased risk 133%!

Correspondingly, individuals younger than 59 with the rapid *1A genotype lowered their risk of heart attack by 52% when drinking 1 cup of coffee daily; 2-3 cups a day lowered risk by 43%, and 4 or more cups daily resulted in a reduction in heart attack risk of 17%.

Women who are trying to conceive or are pregnant should play it safe and avoid caffeine, including that found in tea, chocolate, sodas and some over-the-counter medications, as well as regular coffee.

Once again, the reason lies in our genes. Women who carry the Val/Val polymorphism of a detoxification enzyme called CYP450 1B1 are at increased risk for first-trimester miscarriage, and, particularly in smokers, caffeine consumption further increases this risk.

CYP450 1B1 is not a major player in the processing of caffeine in the liver, but instead plays a role in the metabolism of caffeine among pregnant women via action in the uterus. Smoking increases risk since it is known to induce production of CYP450 1B1.

The CYP1B1 Val/Val polymorphism is very common, so avoiding caffeine is a good idea for women who are trying to conceive or are pregnant.

And giving up coffee while pregnant may be easy, even for those who ordinarily love it. An increased aversion to coffee is, along with nausea and vomiting, a consistent early feature of a healthy pregnancy.

Practical Tip:
For adults with normal blood pressure who have no difficulty clearing caffeine-those with the CYP1A2*1A allele-consuming moderate amounts of coffee (3-4 cups/d providing 300-400 mg/d of caffeine), may offer a number of health benefits.

References

1. Hancock DB, Martin ER, Stajich JM, Jewett R, Stacy MA, Scott BL, Vance JM, Scott WK. Smoking, caffeine, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in families with Parkinson disease.Arch Neurol. 2007 Apr;64(4):576-80.
   PMID: 17420321


2. Kalda A, Yu L, Oztas E, Chen JF. Novel neuroprotection by caffeine and adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonists in animal models of Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Sci. 2006 Oct 25;248(1-2):9-15. Epub 2006 Jun 27. PMID: 16806272
   Higdon JV, Frei B. Coffee and health: a review of recent human research. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2006;46(2):101-23. PMID: 16507475


3. Montella M, Polesel J, La Vecchia C, Dal Maso L, Crispo A, Crovatto M, Casarin P, Izzo F, Tommasi LG, Talamini R, Franceschi S. Coffee and tea consumption and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Italy. Int J Cancer. 2007 Apr 1;120(7):1555-9. PMID: 17205531


4. Ranheim T, Halvorsen B. Coffee consumption and human health--beneficial or detrimental?--Mechanisms for effects of coffee consumption on different risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2005 Mar;49(3):274-84. PMID: 15704241


5. van Dam RM, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hu FB. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study in younger and middle-aged U.S. women. Diabetes Care. 2006 Feb;29(2):398-403. PMID: 16443894
   Baker JA, Beehler GP, Sawant AC, Jayaprakash V, McCann SE, Moysich KB. Consumption of coffee, but not black tea, is associated with 40% decreased risk of premenopausal breast cancer. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1):166-71. PMID: 16365077


6. Greenberg JA, Dunbar CC, Schnoll R, Kokolis R, Kokolis S, Kassotis J. Caffeinated beverage intake and the risk of heart disease mortality in the elderly: a prospective analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;85(2):392-8.


7. van Gelder BM, Buijsse B, Tijhuis M, Kalmijn S, Giampaoli S, Nissinen A, Kromhout D. Coffee consumption is inversely associated with cognitive decline in elderly European men: the FINE Study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;61(2):226–232. Epub 2006 Aug 16. PMID: 16929246


8. Tohda C, Kuboyama T, Komatsu K. Search for natural products related to regeneration of the neuronal network. Neurosignals. 2005;14(1-2):34-45. PMID: 15956813
   Yeo SE, Jentjens RL, Wallis GA, Jeukendrup AE. Caffeine increases exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. J Appl Physiol. 2005 Sep;99(3):844-50. Epub 2005 Apr 14. PMID: 15831802


9. Cornelis MC, El-Sohemy A, Kabagambe EK, Campos H. Coffee, CYP1A2 genotype, and risk of myocardial infarction. JAMA. 2006 Mar 8;295(10):1135-41. PMID: 16522833


10. Karypidis AH, Soderstrom T, Nordmark A, Granath F, Cnattingius S, Rane A. Association of cytochrome P450 1B1 polymorphism with first-trimester miscarriage. Fertil Steril. 2006 Nov;86(5):1498-503. Epub 2006 Sep 14. PMID: 16978616


11. Cnattingius S, Signorello LB, Anneren G, Clausson B, Ekbom A, Ljunger E, Blot WJ, McLaughlin JK, Petersson G, Rane A, Granath F. Caffeine intake and the risk of first-trimester spontaneous abortion. N Engl J Med. 2000 Dec 21;343(25):1839-45. PMID: 11117975


12. Hey E. Coffee and pregnancy. BMJ. 2007 Feb 24;334(7590):377. PMID: 17322215

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Truth About Coffee
• Coffee With a Conscience

Technorati Tags: coffee, caffeine, health-and-wellness

All Sugars Are Not the Same

Our country's sweet tooth has grown to striking proportions. During the 1970s and 1980s, we were able to keep our sugar habit at a relatively stable 3.5 ounces per day. But then we discovered liquid sweeteners - including the grand champion sweetener in today's marketplace: high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). While our total sweetener consumption has increased by more than 25% and now averages over 4.5 ounces per day, HFCS now accounts for half of our total sweetener intake.

So what, you say! Dextrose, sucrose, glucose syrup, HFCS - isn't it all processed, refined sugar? Doesn't it all provide a similar amount of calories per teaspoon?

From a natural medicine perspective, we would have to answer both questions "yes" and "no." Yes, because all the sweeteners listed above are indeed highly-processed, nutrient-poor sugars, providing approximately 10-15 calories per teaspoon. But no as well, because these sugars are not simply "calorie packages." Each of these sweeteners has a different chemistry, a different origin, and a different way of impacting our metabolism. In natural medicine, it's the unique nature of every food and nutrient that matters most - in the exact same way that our unique, individual nature must always serve as the context for our personal health decisions.

The unique nature of HFCS may pose some special problems for our health, according to an admittedly preliminary research study published in the March 2007 issue of Hepatology. By adding corn-derived fructose syrup to the drinking water of rats, researchers were able to identify certain metabolic changes that took place in the rats' metabolism. These changes had not previously been expected. The extra-sugar addition to the rats' diet did indeed provide them with too many calories. But is also affected their liver function by causing increased formation of fat, and it went through a different processing pattern than the simple sugar fructose.

In other words, fructose syrup made from corn and ordinary fructose sugar found in fruit are not the same. They do not have the same nature. In technical science terms, fructose syrup is capable of disrupting leptin signals from fat cells, and also capable of altering the function of a protein receptor on the fat cell nucleus called PPAR-alpha. The naturally occurring fructose in fruit is not capable of these same effects. The ability to trigger changes in leptin signaling and PPAR-alpha function changes makes the sugar in fructose syrup more than just a sugar. According to this study, and precisely because of its unique effects, HFCS might be able to increase risk of obesity in a way that is unrelated to the calories it contains.

Of course, we're only talking about a single animal study. It's impossible to draw any firm conclusions about human health from a single animal study, or even 50 animal studies. We need to learn much more about the processing of HFCS inside human beings. After learning more, we need to see if our observations hold true over and over again, and with human beings from all walks of life, of all ages, and with all kinds of health histories. Only then will we be able to draw any scientific conclusions.

But in the meantime, we can still remind ourselves that all sugars are not the same, and the unique nature of high fructose corn syrup might be something worth thinking about.

References:

1. Haley S, Reed J, Lin B-H et al. (2005). Sweetener consumption in the United States. Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
2. Roglans N, Vila L, Farre M et al. (2007). Impairment of hepatic Stat-3 activation and reduction of PPARalpha activity in fructose-fed rats. Hepatology Mar;45(3):778-88.

Related Topics:

• Sugary Drinks Linked to Obesity Rise
• Sweet Addiction

Technorati Tags: health and wellness, diet, nutrition, sugar, high fructose corn syrup

Omega-3-rich Foods Protect Bone Health

Alpha linolenic acid, the omega-3 fat found in walnuts and flaxseed, promotes bone health by helping to prevent excessive bone turnover--when consumption of foods rich in this omega-3 fat results in a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet.

FULL STORY:

Other studies have shown that diets rich in the omega-3s from fish (DHA and EPA), which also naturally result in a lowered ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, reduce bone loss. Researchers think this is most likely because omega-6 fats are converted into pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, while omega-3 fats are metabolized into anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. (Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances made in our bodies from fatty acids.)

In this study, 23 participants ate each of 3 diets for a 6-week period with a 3 week washout period in between diets. All 3 diets provided a similar amount of fat, but their ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats was quite different:

• Diet 1 provided 34% total fat with omega-6 and omega-3 fats in amounts typically seen in the American diet: 9% polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) of which 7.7% were omega-6 and only 0.8% omega-3 fats, resulting in a pro-inflammatory ratio of 9.6:1.
• Diet 2, an omega-6-rich diet, provided 37% total fat containing 16% PUFAs of which 12% were omega-6 and 3.6% omega-3, a better but still pro-inflammatory ratio of 3.3:1.
• Diet 3, which provided 38% in total fats, was an omega-3-rich diet, containing 17% PUFAs, of which 10.5% were omega-6 and 6.5% omega-3, resulting in an anti-inflammatory ratio of 1.6:1.

After each diet, subjects' blood levels of N-telopeptides, a marker of bone breakdown, were measured, and were found to be much lower following Diet 3, the omega-3-rich diet, than either of the other two.

The level of N-telopeptides in each diet also correlated with that of a marker of inflammation called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Diets 1 and 2, which both had a significantly higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, resulted in much higher levels of TNF-alpha than the diet high in omega-3 fats from walnuts and flaxseed.

Practical Tip: To decrease excessive bone breakdown and protect bone health, make omega-3-rich flaxseed and walnuts, as well as cold water fish, frequent contributors to your healthy way of eating.

Reference:

Griel AE, Kris-Etherton PM, Hilpert KF, Zhao G, West SG, Corwin RL. An increase in dietary n-3 fatty acids decreases a marker of bone resorption in humans. Nutr J. 2007 Jan 16;6:2.

Related Topics:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Boost Brain
• Evaluate the Latest Diets
• 3 Low-Cost Ways to Protect Your Bones

Technorati Tags: health and wellness, diet, nutrition, bone health, osteoporosis, omega-3

Tomatoes and Broccoli Team Up to Save Men's Lives

Photo Credit: J. Bowman

Tomatoes and broccoli -- vegetables each known for their cancer-fighting actions -- are even more effective in combating prostate tumors when both are a daily part of the diet, shows a landmark study published in Cancer Research.

FULL STORY:

"When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways," noted John Erdman, Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois.

Erdman and doctoral candidate Kirstie Canene-Adams fed male rats one of 5 different diets, starting one month before the animals were implanted with prostate tumors, and then compared the effects of the different diets to surgical castration or treatment with finasteride, a drug commonly prescribed for men with enlarged prostates.

Staff Photo

The diets contained one of the following: 10% tomato, 10% broccoli, 5% tomato plus 5% broccoli, 10% tomato plus 10% broccoli, or lycopene (23 or 224 nmol/g diet).

Both tomato and broccoli were in the form of powders made from whole foods, so the effects of eating the entire vegetable could be compared to just consuming a single compound as a nutritional supplement -- in this case, lycopene, a carotenoid found in tomatoes.

After 22 weeks, when the rats' prostate tumors were weighed, the 10% tomato/broccoli combination outperformed all other diets, shrinking prostate tumors by 52%.

Broccoli alone decreased tumor weight by 42%, and tomato alone by 34%.

Lycopene alone (23 or 224 nmol/g diet) came in last, reducing tumor weight by 7% and 18% respectively.

The only treatment that approached the tomato/broccoli diet's level of effectiveness was castration -- not a desirable choice for most men, although it resulted in a 62% reduction in prostate tumor weight. Said Erdman, "As nutritionists, it was very exciting to compare this drastic surgery to diet and see that tumor reduction was similar."

"Older men with slow-growing prostate cancer who have chosen watchful waiting over chemotherapy and radiation should seriously consider altering their diets to include more tomatoes and broccoli," said Canene-Adams.

To get the prostate health benefits seen in this study, a 55-year-old man would need to consume 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato, 1 cup of tomato sauce or 1/2 cup of tomato paste daily, said Canene-Adams.

Erdman noted that this study shows eating whole foods is better than taking isolated nutrients. "It's better to eat tomatoes than to take a lycopene supplement--and cooked tomatoes may be better than raw tomatoes. Chopping and heating make the cancer-fighting constituents of tomatoes and broccoli more bioavailable," he said.

Practical Tips: The phytonutrients in tomatoes become more concentrated and bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked into a sauce or paste and are eaten with a little oil, but those in broccoli will be greatly lessened if this vegetable is overcooked, so steam or saute broccoli lightly.

Also, the healthful compounds in broccoli form after it has been cut, but cooking stops this process. For optimal nutrient formation, cut broccoli florets in half or into quarters, depending on their initial size, and let sit for 5 minutes before cooking.

It's easy to enjoy both broccoli and tomato at lunch, dinner or as a snack:

• Have a bowl of tomato soup and a salad with added broccoli florets for lunch.
• Add lightly steamed broccoli florets to the tomato-paste toppings on your favorite pizza.
• Healthy saute broccoli florets along with other favorite vegetables, such as onions and mushrooms, add to pasta sauce and use to top whole wheat pasta or brown rice.
• For a quick snack, serve raw broccoli florets along with the carrot and celery sticks, dip and crackers, and toast your prostate's health with a glass of tomato juice.

Reference:

Canene-Adams K, Lindshield BL, Wang S, Jeffery EH, Clinton SK, Erdman JW Jr. Combinations of tomato and broccoli enhance antitumor activity in dunning r3327-h prostate adenocarcinomas. Cancer Res. 2007 Jan 15;67(2):836-43. Epub 2007 Jan 9.

Related Topics:

• Broccoli May Fight Lung Cancer
• Crunchy Veggies Fight Cancer

Technorati Tags: tomatoes, broccoli, prostate cancer, health-and-wellness, diet, foods