Search Extension:
Fall/Winter 2009
Research by Extension horticulturist Vince Fritz focuses on improving the cancer-fighting nutrients in fruits and vegetables. The discoveries are shared through outreach events called Chemopreventive Cafés.
We all know vegetables are good for us, but new research shows that one head of broccoli may not necessarily be as healthy as the next.
Extension horticulturist Vince Fritz's job is basically to stress plants out. His research focuses on how manipulating environmental factors can increase cancer-fighting compounds called phytonutrients. One factor is colored mulches, which alter the quality of light around a plant, possibly affecting phytonutrient concentrations.
Dr. Paul Limburg, a Mayo Clinic physician who partners with Fritz's team, values the connection. "To conduct appropriate clinical trials," he says, "we need to know not only what food might be of benefit, but also what the active components are." He sees his relationship with Fritz as "a unique advantage for our research program at Mayo Clinic."
Fritz shares these discoveries through events called Chemopreventive Cafés, where attendees can sample cancer-fighting foods. The café settings are effective, he says, because rather than distributing handouts telling people what to do, it's really showing them. "They come back and say they put the menu on their fridge, so we know the message is getting through and having an impact on their behavior."
For more information on the importance of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, visit www.extension.umn.edu/go/1016
Everyone's genetic makeup is different, so phytonutrients will have varying effects. This list is neither all-inclusive nor conclusive, but is a good summary of cancer-fighting foods you can integrate into your diet.
| Food | Phytonutrient | Helps protect against |
|---|---|---|
| Apple skins, blueberries, cranberries, red grapes | Quercetin | Oral cancer and leukemia |
| Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower | Glucosinolates | Prostate, esophageal, colorectal and breast cancer |
| Carrots | Beta-carotene | Chemotherapy toxicity |
| Cranberries, red grapes | Myricetin | Prostate cancer, anti-tumor |
| Raspberries | Ellagic acid | Breast, skin, colon, prostate and pancreatic cancer |
| Tomatoes | Lycopene | Prostate, lung, bladder, cervix and skin cancer |
| Ginger | [6]-gingerol | Skin, colorectal, pancreatic and ovarian cancer |
| Grapes, peanuts | Resveratrol | Cancer |
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