Laurel on Health Food

MSNBC reports that some flavonoid-rich foods may help prevent ovarian cancer. It is so important for us to practice cancer prevention because some of the cancers, such as ovarian, are very hard to detect at an early stage and survival rates are low. A Nurse’s Health Study published last year in the International Journal of Cancer found that eating a flavonoid-rich diet of vegetables, fruits, beans, and tea may significantly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in women. Scientists believe that flavonoids protect cells from DNA damage and may protect us from cancer by regulating cell growth, fighting inflammation, and changing hormone levels.

This particular study singled out the flavonoids kaempferol and luteolin as cancer protective. Kaempferol is found in broccoli, tea, kale, and spinach and luteolin is found in peppers, cabbage, celery, and carrots. Over a 14-year span, the women who eat the most kaempferol were 40% less likely to develop ovarian cancer than those who consumed the least. Women who eat the most luteolin were 34% less likely. The study also found that women who eat a lot of myricetin, a phytochemical found in tea, raisins, dried beans, and blueberries, were “somewhat protected.”

This entry was posted on Monday, March 17th, 2008 at 7:39 am and is filed under Cancer, Flavonoids, Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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