For a long time, vegetables have been considered an important source of vitamins and trace elements for the human body. In the last 5 years, scientists have surprisingly discovered that compounds in vegetables, once thought to be harmful, have anti-cancer properties. Consequently, medical experts recommend that people eat more vegetables rich in carotene, such as carrots, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach.
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 cancer-suppression results, 20 vegetables with a significant inhibitory effect on cancer were ranked from highest to lowest: cooked sweet potatoes 98.7%, raw sweet potatoes 94.4%, asparagus 93.7%, cauliflower 92.8%, cabbage 91.4%, broccoli 90.8%, parsley 83.7%, eggplant skin 74%, bell pepper 55.5%, carrot 46.5%, alfalfa 37.6%, shepherd's purse 35.4%, kohlrabi 34.7%, mustard green 32.4%, pickled mustard green 29.8%, tomato 23.8%, green onion 16.3%, garlic 15.9%, cucumber 14.3%, and Chinese cabbage 7.4%.
A 1997 study by British scientists on anti-cancer vegetables showed that broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain very rich auxiliary compounds of glucosinolates. Rhodanin has been decomposed from glucosinolates, and DNA material containing the rhodanin 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 strengthen people's resistance to cancer cells and reduce the risk of cancer. For Brussels sprouts, the researchers pointed out that it has an anti-cancer function different from rhodanin. 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 in the vegetable kingdom, the anti-cancer properties of cooked and raw sweet potatoes rank highest, 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, such as 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 researchers 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 the activity of a chemical called "DMN," thus preventing the canceration process of related cells, making it a potential anti-cancer substance with great appeal. Vegetables rich in fiber, such as water bamboo shoots and celery, accelerate the emptying speed of food in the intestines after consumption, shorten the retention time of toxic substances in food in the intestines, promote bile acid excretion, and keep feces acidic, which is extremely beneficial for preventing colorectal cancer. Eating red-colored vegetables such as carrots, red radishes, and red amaranth can increase coronary blood flow, lower blood lipids, and enhance the body's resistance.
Returning to nature, greenness, and being free from pollution have become prominent features of vegetable production in the 21st century. Following frozen vegetables, canned vegetables, 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 development and production of anti-cancer vegetables are particularly favored by people.