Natural Foods

Asparagus

This vegetable is a super source of glutathione, which is a powerful antioxidant compound, strong anticancer activity.

The liberal use of asparagus can thus prevents having damage to cells by oxygen-charged molecules. It is good to eat this vegetable raw and mixed with a vegetable salad. If it has to be taken in cooked form, it should be cooked very slightly so as to preserve most of the rich minerals and vitamins contained in the raw vegetable.

According to Dean P. Jones, Ph.D. associated professor of biochemistry at Emory University School of Medicine; glutathione can deactivate at least thirty cancer-causing substances. This compound prevents lipid per -oxidation and acts as an enzyme to deactivate free radicals. Thus, if offers powerful protection against heart disease, cataracts and asthma, so also cancer and other disease linked to free-radical damage. Glutathione also helps prevent damage from toxic compounds such as environmental pollutants by detoxifying them in the body.

Main food sources of Glutathione are avocado and water-melon, besides asparagus. These three foods contain the most glutathione, according to an analysis of 98 popular foods by Dr. Jones. Other foods high in glutathione are fresh grapefruit orange, strawberries, fresh peach, lady finger, white potato, cauliflower, broccoli and raw tomato.

Broccoli

Broccoli is versatile disease fighting food. It contains numberous strong antioxidants like quercetin, gluta thione, beta-caratene, indoles, vitamin C, lutein, glucarate and sulphoraphane. This vegetable possesses extremely high anticancer property, particularly against lung, colon and braest cancers. Like other cruciferous vegetables, it speeds up removal of oestrogen from the body, thereby helping suppress breast caner. It is rich in cholesterol-reducing fibre and also possesses antiviral and anti-ulcer activities. This vegetable is thus a powerful antioxidant food, which helps prevents several damaging effects of oxidants on health.

Cooking this vegetable destroys some of the antioxidants and anti-oestrogenic agents, such as indoles and glutathione. It is, therefore, advisable to eat it raw in salad or lightly cooked, preferably steamed. Care should be taken jto chew it thoroughly. Unsalted butter or vegetable oil may be used as a dressing.

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are one of the distinct vegetables developed from the original wild cabbage. It may be distinguished when the plants are mature by the sprouts, which are little compact round heads, borne along the erect stem among the leaves. It is rich in Vitamins A, B1 and C as well as in potassium. Like other cruciferous vegetables, brussel sprouts posses almost the same properties as broccoli and cabbage. It is an anti-cancer, oestrogenic and contains various antioxidant compounds including in -doles. This vegetable is thus an important dietary antioxidant. It helps prevent damage to cells by free radicals.

Cabbage

This popular vegetable was revered in ancient Rome as a cancer cure. It contains numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. It speeds up oestrogen metabolism, thereby helping prevent breast cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a prelude to colon cancer. In studies, eating cabbage more than once a week cut men’s colon odds 66 per cent. As little as two tablespoons daily of cooked cabbage is said to protect against stomach cancer. This vegetable also contains anti-ulcer compounds and cabbage is one of the major food sources of indoles, which successfully detoxify several cancer-causing agents.

Cabbage should be rarely cooked, since it rapidly loses its value through the process even when done conservatively. Cooking also destroys some antioxidant, anti-cancer and oestrogenic activity of compounds, particularly indoles. It is delicious when included in a vegetable salad. It must be masticated thoroughly, raw or cooked, and never swallowed in a hurry.

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