What Is It About Those Vegetarians?
Why do vegetarians have only about half the cancer risk of meat-eaters It's the fiber! It's the beta-carotene! No, it's the phytoestrogens!
Scientists have been trying to figure out why vegetarians have only about half the cancer risk of meat-eaters. The latest plant supernutrient, beta-sitosterol, was lauded at the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology by University of Buffalo nutrition researcher Atif Awad, Ph.D. Beta-sitosterol was shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells in the test tube, cutting the number of cancer cells by 66 percent compared with control cell cultures. Dr. Awad had previously found that beta-sitosterol inhibited prostate cancer cell growth but did so by a different mechanism, inhibiting an enzyme called PP2A, which is involved in cell growth.
Tomatoes Attack Cancer CellsA diet rich in fruits and vegetables is known to reduce the risk of oral, pancreatic, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. But scientists were surprised to find that lycopene—the chemical that gives tomatoes a rich, red hue—actually destroys oral cancer cells in the laboratory. Researchers hope they can duplicate the results in patients.
Some scientists believe lycopene bolsters the body's natural ability to kill off cells that are not developing properly. Research from the University of North Carolina also suggests that lycopene in the diet reduces the risk of heart attack.
Colon CancerCan a vegetarian diet help prevent colon cancer? Research has shown that people who regularly eat red or processed meat are up to 50 percent more likely to develop colon cancer than those who avoid meat, and a crossover study recently published in the journal Cancer Research confirmed that a plant-based diet can play a key role in cancer prevention.
Study participants were put on a vegetarian, red meat, or red meat and high-fiber diet for 15 days. The red meat diet resulted in significantly higher levels of N-nitrosocompounds - compounds that can alter DNA and increase the risk of developing colon cancer - than the vegetarian diet. The red meat, high-fiber diet resulted in lower levels of N-nitrosocompounds than the red meat diet, but not as low as with the vegetarian diet. This data suggests that fiber, which is found only in plant foods, may play a protective role by repairing damaged DNA and decreasing the amount of time harmful compounds stay in the colon.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, but it doesn't have to be. A meatless diet rich in fiber, fruits, and vegetables may be our strongest ally in the fight against colon cancer.
Jennifer K. Reilly, R.D.
Senior nutritionist for
The Cancer Project5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20016-4131.
The Cancer Project is a collaborative effort of physicians, researchers, and nutritionists who have joined together to educate individuals, families, and the public on the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival.
The Cancer Project provides comprehensive educational materials, conducts clinical research studies, and publicizes the value of a healthy diet in cancer prevention and survival.
Letter to the Editor-The Daily Dispatch North Carolina