For a long time, nutritionists have regarded vegetables as an important source of vitamins and trace elements for the human body. However, in the last 5 years, scientists have surprisingly discovered that compounds in vegetables, previously considered harmful, have anti-cancer properties. Consequently, medical experts recommend that people should eat more carotene-rich vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach.
Scientists at home and abroad have continuously made new breakthroughs and achievements in the research and development of anti-cancer vegetables.
In 1995, American biologists discovered that sweet potatoes contain a chemical substance called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which can be used to prevent colon and breast cancer. In 1996, the National Cancer Research Institute of Japan conducted a statistical survey on the relationship between the diet and lifestyle of 260,000 people and cancer, proving the anti-cancer effect of vegetables. Through the analysis of anti-cancer components in more than 40 types of vegetables and experimental tumor-inhibition results, 20 vegetables with significant anti-cancer effects were ranked from highest to lowest as follows: cooked sweet potatoes 98.7%, raw sweet potatoes 94.4%, asparagus 93.7%, broccoli 92.8%, cabbage 91.4%, cauliflower 90.8%, parsley 83.7%, eggplant skin 74%, sweet pepper 55.5%, carrot 46.5%, alfalfa 37.6., shepherd's purse 35.4%, kohlrabi 34.7%, mustard greens 32.4%, pickled mustard greens 29.8%, tomato 23.8%, green onion 16.3%, garlic 15.9%, cucumber 14.3%, Chinese cabbage 7.4%. The results of an early 1997 study on anti-cancer vegetables by British scientists showed that broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain very rich auxiliary compounds called glucosinolates. Glucosinolate has been broken down into radish extract, and DNA material containing the radish extract growth gene has been isolated from broccoli. This substance is being transplanted into various cabbages and radishes (with successful transplantation expected soon), which will help enhance people's resistance to cancer cells and reduce the risk of cancer. As for Brussels sprouts, researchers point out that they have anti-cancer functions different from those of radish extract. The anti-cancer component in sprouts is a glucosinolate called sinigrin, which can hinder the growth of early cancer cells.
Scientific experimental analysis has proven that among all vegetables, cooked and raw sweet potatoes rank highest in anti-cancer properties, exceeding the anti-cancer efficacy of ginseng. Among commonly eaten vegetables, the lycopene in tomatoes is an antioxidant that can inhibit certain carcinogenic oxygen free radicals. Dark green vegetables like spinach and celery are rich in antioxidants, and the darker the green, the stronger the anti-cancer effect. Pungent vegetables like onions and garlic contain large amounts of chemicals that inhibit cancer growth. Japanese scholars have found that the pungent components of ginger have a strong antioxidant effect on fatty foods such as meat and fish. Compared with currently used antioxidants BHA, BHT, and vitamin E, the antioxidant effect of ginger's pungent components is more effective. Analysis shows that the pungent substance in spicy vegetables can inactivate a chemical called "DMN," thus preventing the canceration process of related cells and is a potential anti-cancer substance, hence it is highly attractive. Vegetables rich in fiber, such as water bamboo shoots and celery, accelerate the emptying speed of food pulp in the intestine after being consumed, shorten the retention time of toxic substances in the intestine, promote bile acid excretion, and keep feces acidic, which is extremely beneficial for preventing colorectal cancer. Consuming predominantly red vegetables like carrots, red radishes, and red amaranth can enhance coronary artery blood flow, lower blood lipids, and boost the body's resistance.
Returning to a more natural, green, and pollution-free state has become a prominent feature of vegetable production in the 21st century. Following frozen, canned, and dehydrated vegetables, new varieties such as powdered vegetables, juice vegetables, beauty vegetables, spicy vegetables, convenient vegetables, and vegetable vaccines have emerged. Among them, the developed anti-cancer vegetables are particularly favored by people.