These five superfoods are scientifically proven to halt the spread of breast cancer
Research out of the City of Hope Cancer Center near Los Angeles, California, has determined that five specific superfoods possess demonstrable cancer-fighting benefits -- and the good news is that most of them are generally available year-round at grocery stores nationwide. These superfoods include:
1) Mushrooms. Scientists from City of Hope were among the first to identify some of the cancer-fighting properties of mushrooms, having discovered that common white-button mushrooms are capable of slowing the growth of breast cancer tumors by targeting aromatase, a protein enzyme that biosynthesizes estrogen in the body. Since aromatase is linked to spurring breast cancer tumors, eating mushrooms can help stop these cancer cells from growing and spreading.
Researchers observed a similar benefit in men concerning prostate cancer. Mushroom extract was found not only to lower levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a hormone linked to the development of the disease, but also to fortify the body's own natural defenses in blocking lung and potentially other forms of cancer. (http://www.cityofhope.org)
2) Blueberries. Numerous studies have confirmed that blueberries effectively prevent breast cancer cells from not only multiplying and spreading, but also from surviving. Blueberry compounds have been shown to shrink the size of existing tumors, as well as block the proliferation of triple-negative breast cancers. (http://www.cityofhope.org)
3) Pomegranates. A superfood with a variety of unique benefits, pomegranates possess six unique substances that, like mushrooms, suppress aromatase, which roughly 70 percent of breast cancers need in order to grow and thrive. Besides preventing and fighting breast cancer, pomegranates have been shown to target many other forms of cancer as well, including colon cancer.
The specific cancer-fighting compounds in pomegranates include urolithin A (UA), methylated UA, acetylated UB, methylated UB, and UB sulfate, all of which are naturally-occurring phytochemicals that inhibit multiple estrogen-producing mechanisms responsible for spurring tumor growth. (http://www.cityofhope.org)
4) Cinnamon. Long utilized as both a spice and a medicine, cinnamon is a powerful cancer fighter in its own right, as it effectively blocks a protein that tumors need to establish a life-giving blood supply. Known as angiogenesis, this blockage of blood vessel growth prevents tumors from both growing and surviving. (http://www.cityofhope.org)
5) Grape seed extract. This one might be a little bit harder to find, as many grape varieties sold in stores are now seedless. But the compounds found in grape seeds are worth the extra effort to find, as they have been shown to help inhibit aromatase, which in turn blocks the formation of breast cancer. Grape seed extract also blocks the action of another protein responsible for spurring the growth and spread of cancer cells.
"City of Hope is uncovering important links between nutrition and the fight against cancer," says the group on its website about this fascinating and ongoing research. "We have found that mushrooms may slow the growth of breast cancer, blueberries could slow down the spread of cancer, and grape seed extract might starve cancer cells."
