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International Specialty Supply Supplying Sprout Companies Throughout the World
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Broccoli
Forces Cancer Cells to Commit Suicide Press
Release British
Brassica Growers Association June
12, 1998 Exciting
new research carried out at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) has revealed
that broccoli can cause precancerous cells to commit suicide. Apoptosis,
as it is known in the scientific community, is the process of cell death, and a
study which was carried out under laboratory conditions at the IFR with cell
cultures, has shown that juiced broccoli added to cancer cells, can cause
apoptosis to take place. “Apoptosis
- or cell suicide - is currently big news in the scientific community and is
an extremely exciting process which brings us one step closer to understanding
why fruit and vegetables could help to protect against diet related cancers.
Although there is still a lot of work which needs to be done, the broccoli study
is further evidence that leafy green vegetables have anticarcinogenic
properties,” said Ian Johnson, Head of the project at the IFR. The
work has been funded by the British broccoli growers at the British Brassica
Growers Association. Commenting on the work, Roy Stanley of the Brassica Growers
Association said: “It is an extremely interesting discovery which suggests
that broccoli can help to remove precancerous cells from the lining of the gut.
This is excellent news for everyone.” Broccoli
contains compounds which have anticarcinogenic properties and when these
compounds are broken down, they stimulate cancer cells to commit suicide. “Broccoli
is a member of a group of vegetables called brassicas which have a distinct
`mustard-like' flavour. This flavour is created by the anticarginogenic
compounds which can be found within brassica vegetables such as broccoli,”
added Ian Johnson. Although
all vegetables are beneficial to health and help fight off disease, a tomato was
also tested at the IFR as a comparison to demonstrate that not all vegetables
have the ability to induce apoptosis. The results revealed that broccoli
can reduce cell survival by around 95% whereas tomatoes have very little effect
at all. “It
is the brassica vegetables which are amongst the most beneficial in the fight
against cancer and as broccoli is a particularly versatile brassica which is
increasing in popularity, it is an excellent vegetable choice for many
people,” concluded Roy Stanley. The
results of the project are consistent with other new findings which have
appeared in recent literature.
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