Bitter melon is a polarizing vegetable in folk culture; many people are fond of it, while others avoid it. However, it was the great Ming Dynasty medical master Li Shizhen who truly gave it a prestigious status, calling it a "first-class melon" and a rare anti-cancer gourd. Bitter melon's bitter principle is hailed as a "fat killer," and its fresh juice contains momordicoside and insulin-like substances that are effective in lowering blood sugar, reducing the intake of fat and polysaccharides. In addition, bitter melon can also reduce the incidence of liver cancer.
Cold Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C, nearly three times that of a tomato. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant that can improve the body's stress resistance. The active ingredients in bitter melon can inhibit the carcinogenesis of normal cells, promote the restoration of mutated cells, and have a certain anti-cancer effect, reducing the risk of liver cancer.
Western medicine has also proven that the anti-cancer effect of bitter melon comes from a quinine-like protein, which is an active protein that can activate immune cells. Through these immune cells acting as "middlemen," cancer cells or other abnormal cells are eliminated. Bitter melon seeds contain a protease inhibitor that can inhibit tumor cells from secreting proteases, thus inhibiting the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.
What other vegetables have anti-cancer effects?
1) Eggplant: "Frost-bitten eggplant" is good medicine
In many traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions and folk remedies, "late autumn old eggplant" and "frost-bitten eggplant" are often used. Increasing evidence shows that eggplant has anti-cancer functions. An experiment once extracted a non-toxic substance from eggplant that was effective in treating stomach cancer and cervical cancer. In addition, eggplant contains various alkaloids such as solanine, cucurbitacin, stachydrine, choline, perilla glycoside, and nasunin. Among these, solanine and cucurbitacin have been proven to have anti-cancer abilities. The eggplant flower, calyx, root, and juice are all considered good medicines, with ancient records of using eggplant roots to treat tumors.
Eggplant is also rich in nutrients. Except for slightly lower levels of vitamins A and C, its other vitamins and minerals are almost the same as tomatoes, and its protein and calcium content are even three times higher than that of tomatoes.
Braised Eggplant
2) Kelp: Can prevent breast cancer and thyroid tumors
In traditional Chinese medicine, kelp is called "Kunbu" and can prevent breast cancer and thyroid tumors. It is well-known in China that kelp is rich in iodine and can prevent goiter. In fact, kelp has many other "abilities." The sodium alginate it contains has a strong binding capacity with carcinogenic strontium and cadmium, expelling them from the body. Kelp can selectively kill or inhibit bacteria in the intestines that produce carcinogens, and the fiber it contains can promote the excretion of bile acids and cholesterol. Kelp extract has a direct inhibitory effect on various cancer cells.
Old Duck Soup
3) Sweet Potato: An anti-cancer superfood gradually being forgotten
The days of holding fragrant roasted sweet potatoes to warm hands and satisfy a craving in the winter have faded from the memory of many young people. Roasted sweet potato vendors, once common on streets, are now almost gone. With improving economic conditions, surveys show that many urban residents in China no longer eat sweet potatoes.
Sweet potato, also known as yam or红薯 (hongshu), is considered an excellent food for preventing illness and prolonging life, as well as for weight loss and health preservation. In fact, sweet potatoes also have powerful anti-cancer functions. Recently, scientists discovered a substance called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in sweet potatoes that can prevent the occurrence of colorectal and breast cancer.
Candied Sweet Potato
4) Pumpkin: Hailed as the "divine gourd"
In some countries, it is hailed as the "divine gourd" because it can be used as both grain and vegetable. Americans eat pumpkin on Thanksgiving to express their gratitude for it. However, in China, it is now rarely cultivated.
Pumpkin can prevent obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and high cholesterol, and is very effective in cancer prevention. The vitamin A content in pumpkin is incredibly high. It is also rich in vitamin C, calcium, and fiber, and contains an unknown component that inhibits the carcinogen tryptophan-P.
Pancake
5) Wheat Bran: The best anti-cancer food fiber
Also known as bran, it is the seed coat separated when wheat is ground into flour, used as animal feed, not for human consumption. When fed to livestock, wheat bran makes their skin ruddy and their coats shiny, appearing extremely healthy. Wheat bran is now receiving increasing attention. For health, many Western organizations are calling on people to eat whole grains and whole wheat foods. Whole wheat foods are made by grinding the entire wheat grain into flour and then separating out the bran.
Wheat bran is the "warehouse" of the main nutrients of wheat. B vitamins, minerals such as selenium and magnesium, and dietary fiber are almost all concentrated in it. It can prevent and treat colorectal cancer, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Therefore, many experts believe that wheat bran is the best anti-cancer food fiber.
Plain Wheat Bran Bun
6) Radish: The "health guardian" among root vegetables
Radish, also known as laifu, comes in many varieties and is a cancer-fighting expert. Hence the agricultural sayings: "Eat radish in winter and ginger in summer, and you'll never need to run to the pharmacy" and "The radish in the tenth month is as good as water ginseng." The Dutch have designated carrots as their "national vegetable," while in Japan and the US, it is considered the "health guardian" among root vegetables.
Radish has the functions of anti-cancer, relieving chest tightness, reducing phlegm, and promoting urination. Radish contains various enzymes that can eliminate the carcinogenic effects of nitrosamines. Its lignin can stimulate the body's immunity, increase the activity of macrophages, and enhance their ability to engulf and kill cancer cells. The spiciness of radish comes from mustard oil, which can stimulate intestinal peristalsis and promote the excretion of carcinogens. Radish also contains many unknown components that inhibit mutagenic activity. The vitamin C content in radish is 8-10 times higher than that in apples and pears. Carrots, due to their rich carotene content, also have excellent anti-cancer properties.
Beef and Radish Stew
7) Kiwifruit: The highest vitamin C content among fruits
Brown in color and shaped like a potato, its inside is as green as jade, sweet and sour. Originally a wild fruit in the southern mountains, it is now cultivated all over the country. Its fruit is rich in sugar, protein, lipids, vitamins, organic acids, and various minerals. It has the highest vitamin C content among fruits, with 200 mg per 100 grams of fruit, almost 100 times that of oranges and 30 times that of tomatoes, making it a veritable "natural vitamin C tablet." It is also rich in vitamin P, which has the function of protecting blood vessels, and its nutritional value is extremely high.
Kiwi Smoothie