Brussels Sprout Anti-Cancer

Brussels sprouts look like miniature heads of cabbage. They are similar to cabbage in taste, but they are slightly milder in flavor and denser in texture. Brussels sprouts and cabbage are members of the cruciferous vegetable family. These vegetables contain significant amounts of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene (vitamin A), and nitrogen compounds called indoles which may reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Brussels sprouts which can cure 5 types of cancer, namely, bladder, breast, colon, prostate and liver cancer.

According to International Journal of Cancer Brussels sprouts protect against bladder cancer,the properties appear to come from their high levels isothiocyanates, which are potent anti-carcinogens.Isothiocyanates travel through the bladder to be excreted, making them particularly powerful against this form of cancer.

Sulforaphane is released by Brussels sprouts and has been proven to trigger the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify the body of cancer-causing chemicals. They have been shown to inhibit chemically-induced breast cancers in animal studies.

Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle studied 1,000 men. Those who ate three or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44% lower prostate cancer risk.

Brussels sprouts’ glucosinolates have been shown to help prevent the development of colon cancerin response to exposure to heterocyclic amines, the carcinogenic compounds produced when meat is grilled or otherwise charbroiled. In an animal study published in Carcinogenesis , researchers looked at the effects of drinking water supplemented with Brussels sprouts or red cabbage juices on the liver and colon of laboratory animals that were also given a heterocyclic amine carcinogen.

Brussels Sprout Detoxification

Glucosinolates found in Brussels sprout activates detoxification of cancer cells. Brussels sprouts are an outstanding source of glucosinolates. Sulfur-containing nutrients help support detoxification to work effectively. Brussels sprouts are rich in sulfur-containing nutrients. Sulfur is connected with both the smell and taste of Brussels sprouts, and too much sulfur aroma is often associated with overcooking of this vegetable. Lastly, to complete detoxification process, body’s detox system needs strong antioxidant support. Brussels sprouts are able to provide that kind of support because they are an excellent source of vitamin C, a very good source of beta-carotene and manganese, and a good source of vitamin E. Brussels sprouts also contain a wide variety of antioxidant phytonutrients, including many antioxidant flavonoids.

Brussels Sprouts and Antioxidant Support

In France, it was found that Brussels sprouts to be a more important dietary contributor to these antioxidants than any other cruciferous vegetable, including broccoli.Brussels sprouts are an important dietary source of many vitamin antioxidants, including vitamins C, E, and A (in the form of beta-carotene). Flavonoid antioxidants like isorhamnetin, quercitin, and kaempferol are also found in Brussels sprouts, as are the antioxidants caffeic acid and ferulic acid.

Brussels Sprouts and Inflammatory/Anti-inflammatory Support

Brussels sprouts can help us avoid chronic, excessive inflammation through a variety of nutrient benefits. First is their rich glucosinolate content. In addition to the detox-supportive properties mentioned earlier, glucosinolates found in Brussels sprouts help to regulate the body’s inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system and prevent unwanted inflammation. Particularly well-studied in this context is the glucosinolate called glucobrassicin that can get converted into an isothiocyanate molecule called ITC, or indole-3-carbinol. I3C is an anti-inflammatory compound that can actually operate at the genetic level, and by doing so, prevent the initiation of inflammatory responses at a very early stage.

A second important anti-inflammatory nutrient found in Brussels sprouts is vitamin K. Vitamin K is a direct regulator of inflammatory responses, and we need optimal intake of this vitamin in order to avoid chronic, excessive inflammation.

A third important anti-inflammatory component in Brussels sprouts is omega-3 fatty acids. Brussels sprouts has 100 calories’ (about 1.5 cups) provide about 430 milligrams of the most basic omega-3 fatty acid (called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA). Omega-3 fatty acids are the building blocks for the one of the body’s most effective families of anti-inflammatory messaging molecules.

Brussels Sprouts and Cardiovascular Support

Isothiocyanate (ITC) sulforaphane, which is made from glucoraphanin (a glucosinolate) found in Brussels sprouts may also be able to help prevent and even possibly help reverse blood vessel damage.

Brussels sprouts for cardiovascular support involves their cholesterol-lowering ability. Our liver uses cholesterol as a basic building block to product bile acids. Bile acids are specialized molecules that aid in the digestion and absorption of fat through a process called emulsification. These molecules are typically stored in fluid form in our gall bladder, and when we eat a fat-containing meal, they get released into the intestine where they help ready the fat for interaction with enzymes and eventual absorption up into the body. When we eat Brussels sprouts, fiber-related nutrients in this cruciferous vegetable bind together with some of the bile acids in the intestine in such a way that they simply stay inside the intestine and pass out of our body in a bowel movement rather than getting absorbed along with the fat they have emulsified. Brussels sprouts provide us with this cholesterol-lowering benefit whether they are raw or cooked.

However, a recent study has shown that the cholesterol-lowering ability of raw Brussels sprouts improves significantly when they are steamed. In fact, when the cholesterol-lowering ability of steamed Brussels sprouts was compared with the cholesterol-lowering ability of the prescription drug cholestyramine (a medication that is taken for the purpose of lowering cholesterol), Brussels sprouts bound 27% as many bile acids (on a total dietary fiber basis).

Brussels Sprouts and Digestive Support

The fiber content of Brussels sprouts – 4 grams in every cup – makes this cruciferous vegetable a natural choice for digestive system support. You’re going to get half of your Daily Value for fiber from only 200 calories’ worth of Brussels sprouts. Yet the fiber content of Brussels sprouts is only one of their digestive support mechanisms. Researchers have determined that the sulforaphane made from Brussels sprouts’ glucoraphanin helps protect the health of our stomach lining by preventing bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori in our stomach or too much clinging by this bacterium to our stomach wall.

Brussel Sprouts with Drugs Kill Cancer

Eating brussels sprouts and cabbage could help kill cancer cells when combined with traditional chemotherapy, according to new research by British scientists.

A study conducted by University of Leicester researchers and recently presented at the National Cancer Research Conference in Britain found that a naturally occurring compound in green leafy vegetables such as brussels sprouts and cabbage — indole-3-carbinol (I3C) — could be a powerful cancer fighter when used in combination with chemotherapy drugs.

The researchers fed breast cancer cells 300 to 400 mg of I3C — which equals roughly a shopping cart full of cabbages — and found that after supplementation, the cells were then more easily killed when exposed to chemotherapy drugs.

Brussels Sprout Selection

Good quality Brussels sprouts are firm, compact, and vivid green. They should be free of yellowed or wilted leaves and should not be puffy or soft in texture. Avoid those that have perforations in their leaves as this may indicate that they have aphids residing within. If Brussels sprouts are sold individually, choose those of equal size to ensure that they will cook evenly.

Keep unwashed and untrimmed Brussels sprouts in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Stored in a plastic bag, they can be kept for 10 days. If you want to freeze Brussels sprouts, blanch them first for between three to five minutes. They will keep in the freezer for up to one year.

Brussels Sprouts Preparation

Before washing Brussels sprouts, remove stems and any yellow or discolored leaves. Wash them well under running water or soak them in a bowl of water to remove any insects that may reside in the inner leaves.

Brussels sprouts are usually cooked whole. To allow the heat to permeate throughout all of the leaves and better ensure an even texture, cut an “X” in the bottom of the stem before cooking.

While Brussels sprouts are usually served as a side dish, they also make a nice addition to cold salads.

Healthy Cooking Tips

To mellow the flavor of garlic, add garlic to Brussels sprouts for the last 2 minutes of steaming. If you opt to include the mustard and parsley, add them to the Brussels sprouts when you add the dressing ingredients.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

• Since cooked Brussels sprouts are small and compact, they make a great snack food that can be simply eaten as is or seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine quartered cooked Brussels sprouts with sliced red onions, walnuts, and your favorite mild tasting cheese such as a goat cheese or feta. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for an exceptionally healthy, delicious side dish or salad.

Healthiest Way of Cooking Brussels Sprouts

5-Minute Brussels Sprouts

One serving provides 870% of the daily value (DV) for health-promoting vitamin K, 326% DV for vitamin C and 40% DV for vitamin A. And they only take minutes to prepare. Enjoy!

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts
Mediterranean Dressing

• 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 TBS dijon mustard, 1 TBS minced parsley

Directions:

• Fill the bottom of the steamer with 2 inches of water.
• While steam is building up in steamer, cut Brussels sprouts into quarters and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
• Chop or press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties.
• Steam Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl. Toss Brussels sprouts, while they are still hot, with the ingredients for the Mediterranean Dressing. (Mediterranean Dressing does not need to be made separately.)
• Serves 2

Healthier cooking options include: roasting, steaming, stir-frying and microwaving.

Apparently, these methods had no effect on the cancer-fighting compounds. Other researchers found that shredding Brussels sprouts helps release a sulfur-containing compound called sinigrin, which also detoxifies a variety of carcinogens and enhances the body’s ability to fight lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancers. It performs this daunting task by initiating an intricate chemical dance that inhibits cell division (mitosis) and stimulates programmed cell death (apoptosis) in human tumor cells.”

Brussels Sprouts Precaution

Brussel sprouts must not be boiled for this would lose 77% of its cancer fighting ingredients. They can be steamed, baked, stir fry or microwaved.

Brussels sprouts reduced the development of pre-cancerous cells 41-52% in the colon and 27-67% in the liver, and drastically diminished the size (85-91%) of pre-cancerous lesions in the liver. Red cabbage moderately decreased (19-50%) the number of pre-cancerous lesions that developed in the liver and markedly reduced (41-83%) the size of those that did occur. These highly protective effects are due to crucifers’ ability to significantly increase the activity of enzymes involved in both Phase I (CYP4501A2) and Phase II (glucuronidation via UDPGT-2) detoxification.

“Not only does boiling Brussels sprouts rob them of any taste, it also destroys their ability to fight cancer! At the University of Warwick in England, researchers have just discovered that boiling cruciferous vegetables – Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower – depletes 77 percent of its glucosinolates. These powerful phytochemicals reduce the risk of cancer by signaling our genes to increase levels of the body’s natural detoxification enzymes, which alter gene expression and help clear carcinogenic substances from the body more rapidly.

Spinach Cancer Treatment

Spinach components have been shown to inhibit growth and proliferation of cervical cancer cells in the laboratory and carcinogen-induced colon cancer in mice. Dietary intake of spinach has been found to be associated with lower risks of head and neck, lung, gallbladder, stomach, liver, bladder, prostate and ovarian cancer in population studies.

Carotenoids and glycolipids isolated from spinach have been demonstrated to cause dose-dependent growth inhibition in breast cancer cells. Several population studies have found that spinach consumption is associated with lower risk of breast cancer. Spinach consumption may help counteract the cancer-promoting effects of the heme iron in red meat.

Baby spinach has higher flavonoid concentration than mature spinach. Red spinach (Amaranthus gangeticus) is a plant used in South Asian cooking that is closely related to common spinach. Based on the few studies that have been performed, red spinach appears to have anti-cancer activities similar to that of common spinach.

Spinach contains oxalic acid and purines; intake of spinach has been shown to increase the risk of kidney stone and gallstone formation, as well as gout. Individuals prone to stones or gout may want to limit or avoid spinach. Oxalates interfere with calcium absorption, and therefore spinach should not be eaten at the same time as calcium-rich foods by breast cancer patients and others to whom calcium levels are important. Boiling reduces the oxalic acid content of spinach and increases iron availability.

Spinach can interfere with Warfarin (coumadin) and other blood-thinning therapy.

Spinach Nutritional Profile

Spinach is an excellent source of bone-healthy vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, and calcium; heart-healthy folate, potassium, and vitamin B6; energy-producing iron and vitamin B2; and free radical-scavenging vitamin A (through its concentration of beta-carotene) and vitamin C.

It is a very good source of digestion-supportive dietary fiber, muscle-building protein, energy-producing phosphorus, and the antioxidants copper, zinc and vitamin E.

In addition, it is a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and heart-healthy niacin and selenium. While this mixture of conventional nutrients gives spinach a unique status in the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory department, it is the unusual mixture of phytonutrients in spinach that “seals the deal” in terms of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components.

In terms of flavonoids, spinach is a unique source of methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides, and in terms of carotenoids, its difficult to find a more helpful source of lutein and zeaxanthin. The epoxyxanthophyll carotenoids neoxanthin and violaxanthin are also welcomed constituents of spinach leaves.

Spinach Cancer Research

In 1997 study, decreased breast cancer risk from regular spinach intake was noted. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1997 Nov;6(11):887-92.) This study believed that the beta-carotene found in spinach was the reason. In all likelihood, spinach contains multiple factors that are chemoprotective against breast cancer and other cancers.

Animal studies presented to the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 1999 annual meeting have shown that lutein also plays a preventative role and also slows the growth of existing mammary gland tumors. If these results are equally representative of human subjects, spinach may serve as a valuable preventative and suppressor of mammary tumors and breast cancer. The study concluded that lutein normalises immune response (commonly compromised in tumor & cancer patients), enabling the immune system to better fight the tumors.

Spinach also reduces the risk of skin cancer. Science is currently aware of thirteen nutrients that improve the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of human skin. Of these, ten are found in spinach.

A 2001 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that chlorophyllin, a derivative of chlorophyll that is abundant in spinach, greatly reduces the risk of aflatoxin related liver cancer. Aflatoxin is a fungus commonly found in grains, soybeans and peanuts and is a known carcinogen that damages human DNA. Ongoing research is seeking to ascertain whether chlorophyllin may also be protective against colon cancer and smoking-related lung cancer.

Chlorophyllin aside, spinach is already protective against colon cancer due to its high antioxidant carotenoid levels, specifically of lutein and zeaxanthin. (Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:575-82)

Spinach has also been proven to reduce the risk of stomach cancer. (International Journal of Epidemiology, 2001)

Other studies attribute lutein and zeaxanthin found in spinach to the reduced risk of ovarian cancer.(Cancer Causes and Control, 2001)

In 2004, research was published by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center shows that spinach is protective against bladder cancer. High dietary intake of the alpha-tocopherol form of Vitamin E found in spinach was associated with a 42 percent reduced risk of bladder cancer in their five year study. Another form of Vitamin E also abundant in spinach, gamma-tocopherol, serves to reduce the risk of prostate.

In regards to human cancer generally, a 2005 Japanese study looked at the fruits and vegetables most commonly claimed to have cancer protection benefits. It studied human cancer cells under laboratory conditions and concluded that spinach was the most cancer protective of all. In additon to a preventative role, spinach had the strongest inhibitory effect on human cancer cell proliferation. (The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry Volume 16, Issue 10, October 2005, Pages 594-601.)

One new category of health-supportive nutrients found in spinach is called “glycoglycerolipids.”Glycoclycerolipids are the main fat-related molecules in the membranes of light-sensitive organs in most plants. They’re indispensable for the process of photosynthesis carried out by plants. However, recent lab research in laboratory animals has shown that glycoglycerolipids from spinach can help protect the lining of the digestive tract from damage-especially damage related to unwanted inflammation. You can expect to see more studies about this exciting new category of molecules in spinach and its potential health benefits.

In a recent study on the relationship between risk of prostate cancer and vegetable intake-including the vegetables spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, turnip greens, collards, and kale-only spinach showed evidence of significant protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer. (“Aggressive prostate cancer” was defined as stage III or IV prostate cancer with a Gleason score of at least 7. Gleason scores are based on lab studies of prostate tissue and common tumor-related patterns.) The study authors did not speculate about specific substances in spinach that may have been involved in decreased prostate cancer risk. However, we know that certain unique anti-cancer carotenoids-called epoxyxanthophylls-are plentiful in spinach, even though they may not be as effectively absorbed as other carotenoids like beta-carotene and lutein. You can count on seeing future research on neoxanthin and violaxanthin-two anti-cancer epoxyxanthophylls that are found in plentiful amounts in the leaves of spinach.

Spinach Health Benefits

Spinach Phytonutrients Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Cancer

Even though virtually all vegetables contain a wide variety of phytonutrients- including flavonoids and carotenoids-spinach can claim a special place among vegetables in terms of its phytonutrient content. Researchers have identified more than a dozen different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. (Some of these substances fall into a technical category of flavonoids known as methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides.) The anticancer properties of these spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled laboratory studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in human stomach cancer cells (gastric adenocarcinomas), and in studies on laboratory animals, to reduce skin cancers (skin papillomas). A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer.

Excessive inflammation, of course, typically emerges as a risk factor for increased cancer risk. (That’s why many anti-inflammatory nutrients can also be shown to have anti-cancer properties.) But even when unrelated to cancer, excessive inflammation has been shown to be less likely following consumption of spinach. Particularly in the digestive tract, reduced inflammation has been associated not only with the flavonoids found in spinach, but also with its carotenoids. Neoxanthin and violaxanthin are two anti-inflammatory epoxyxanthophylls that are found in plentiful amounts in the leaves of spinach.While these unique carotenoids may not be as readily absorbed as carotenoids like beta-carotene or lutein, they still play an important role in regulation of inflammation and are present in unusual amounts in spinach.

Decreased risk of aggressive prostate cancer is one health benefit of spinach consumption that should not be overlooked when talking about the anti-cancer properties of spinach. “Aggressive prostate cancer” is defined as stage III or IV prostate cancer which carries with it a Gleason score of at least 7. (Gleason scores are prostate cancer rating measurements that require lab studies of prostate tissue and evaluation of common tumor-related patterns.) Interestingly, in a recent study that evaluated possible prostate cancer-prevention benefits from a variety of vegetables including spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mustard and turnip greens, collards, and kale – only spinach showed evidence of significant protection against the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer.

Two of the carotenoids that are especially plentiful in spinach-lutein and zeaxanthin-are primary antioxidants in several regions of the eye, including the retina and the macula. Although we haven’t seen specific studies on spinach intake and prevention of eye-related problems like macular degeneration, we have seen studies showing that human blood levels of lutein can be increased by consumption of spinach in everyday amounts. We’ve also seen at least one group of researchers suggesting that spinach has a likely role to play in prevention of eye problems, including age-related macular degeneration.

Spinach Helping You Bone Up

The vitamin K provided by spinach-almost 200% of the Daily Value in one cup of fresh spinach leaves and over 1000% of the Daily Value in one cup of boiled spinach (which contains about 6 times as much spinach)-is important for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K1 helps prevent excessive activation of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone. Additionally, friendly bacteria in our intestines convert vitamin K1 into vitamin K2, which activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside of the bone. All of these vitamin K-related mechanisms point to the importance of vitamin K-rich foods for bone health, and it is difficult to find vegetables that are richer in vitamin K than spinach. (On our World’s Healthiest Foods list, only kale provides more micrograms of vitamin K per cup.) Spinach is also an excellent source of other bone-supportive nutrients including calcium and magnesium.

Spinach Selection & Storage

Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating as this is an indication of decay.

Do not wash spinach before storing as the exposure to water encourages spoilage. Place spinach in a plastic storage bag and wrap the bag tightly around the spinach, squeezing out as much of the air as possible. Place in refrigerator where it will keep fresh for up to 5 days.

Avoid storing cooked spinach as it will not keep very well.

Spinach Preparation

Spinach should be washed very well since the leaves and stems tend to collect sand and soil. Before washing, trim off the roots and separate the leaves. Place the spinach in a large bowl of tepid water and swish the leaves around with your hands as this will allow any dirt to become dislodged. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl, refill with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt remains in the water (usually two to three times will do the trick). Do not leave spinach soaking in the water as water-soluble nutrients will leach into the water.

Spinach sold in bags has been pre-washed and only needs to be rinsed. If you are going to use it in a salad, dry it using a salad spinner or by shaking it in a colander.

Non-organic spinach must be washed very thoroughly to remove pesticide residue as much as possible.

The Healthiest Way of Cooking Spinach

Spinach is only one of three vegetables we recommend boiling to free up acids and allow them to leach into the boiling water; this brings out a sweeter taste from the spinach. Discard the boiling water after cooking; do not drink it or use it for stock because of its acid content.

Use a large pot (3 quart) with lots of water and bring to a rapid boil. Add spinach to the boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Begin timing as soon as you place the spinach in the pot if you are using 1 pound or less of spinach. If you are cooking larger quantities of spinach bring the water back to a boil before beginning timing the 1 minute. Do not cover the pot when cooking spinach. Leaving the pot uncovered helps to release more of the acids with the rising steam. Research has shown that the boiling of spinach in large amounts of water helps decrease the oxalic acid content by as much as 50%.

Remove spinach from pot, press out liquid with a fork, place in a bowl, toss with our Mediterranean Dressing, and top with your favorite optional ingredients.

Spinach Research Links

One form of vitamin E appears beneficial in reducing bladder cancer risk.
http://www.spinachwords.com/research/mar2004-vitamin-e-bladder-cancer.shtml

Supplement reduces risk of aflatoxin-related liver cancer.
http://www.spinachwords.com/research/nov2001-aflatoxin-chlorophyllin.shtml