Watercress – Anti-Cancer

A Great Medicinal Food:-

Do you remember as a child growing watercress in your biology class?  Little did we know that this innocent plant sprouting up on the a piece of kitchen paper could be a potential cancer killer.

Watercress has that distinct peppery taste which you either love or hate, but definitely spices up the egg and cress sandwich.  That peppery taste, is due to beta-phenethyl isothiocyanate or PEITC and watercress is one of the richest natural source this compound and its anti-cancer properties.

Just across the water at the University of Southampton School of Medicine, Professor Graham Pa

ckham in association with Barbara Parry a senior research dietician at the Winchester and Andover Breast Unit at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, showed that PEITC blocks the protein function of hypoxia – inducible factor or HIF.  HIF is a major factor needed in the formation of new cancer  cells.

“The research takes an important step towards understanding the potential health benefits of this crop since it shows that eating watercress may interfere with a pathway that has already been tightly linked to cancer development.

“Knowing the risk factors for cancer is a key goal and studies on diet are an important part of this. However, relatively little work is being performed in the UK on the links between the foods we eat and cancer development.” commented Prof Packham.

Medicinal plants have a huge impact on our well being.  More research is needed in  this area of preventative health.

Other plants that contain PEITC are cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi and turnip.

Tags: anti-cancer, healthy living, medicinal foods, salads