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Phytonutrients
Phytochemicals and Their Role in Cancer
Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants and come in thousands of forms. They are what gives plants their distinct color, odor, and flavor - and clinical research shows that they can provide specific health and medical benefits.
Phytochemicals can make our diet even more powerful through what is known as nutraceutical action. A nutraceutical (nutrition + pharmaceutical) is a food or food compound with specific health and medical benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. There are over 25 different classes of phytochemicals that have been confirmed to exert nutraceutical action. Significant sources of phytochemicals are fruits and vegetables.
Cancer chemoprevention using natural phytochemical compounds is an emerging strategy to prevent, impede, delay, or cure cancer (Anticancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, December 2012). A strong rationale supports focusing on low toxicity chemistry, such as that which has been demonstrated by many anticancer and chemopreventive phytochemicals as the foundation for a broad-spectrum approach (Seminars in Cancer Biology, December 2015).
Anticancer mechanisms and properties of phytonutrients include…
- Antioxidant
- Immune regulation
- Anti-inflammatory
- Hormone modulating
- Tumor cytotoxicity
- Anti-angiogenic
- Chemopreventive
- Induction of apoptosis
- Inhibition of metastasis
- Supporting DNA
- Methylation
- Epigenetics
Polyphenols and Flavonoids: Benefits and Nutritional Sources
Phytochemicals are classified according to their chemical composition and functional characteristics. One of the largest classes in the phytochemical family are polyphenols.
Polyphenols are a large class of chemical compounds found in plants. These chemoprotective compounds are most abundant in vegetables, fruits, oils, seeds, cocoa, tea, and wine. There are over 4000 polyphenol compounds that act as powerful antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals, reducing inflammation, and slowing the growth of tumors.
Flavonoids are the most commonly occurring group of polyphenols and include over 6000 identified family members. Flavonoids give the deep blue pigment to blueberries and rich red pigment to raspberries. They are best known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative health benefits.
Quercetin is a flavonoid that has been studied extensively as a chemopreventive agent for its antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory activity. Even at low dosages, similar to what is found in the daily diet, quercetin inhibits proliferation by arresting or stopping the cancer’s cell cycle (Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, January 2009).
Quercetin-rich foods include onions, apples, arugula, camellia sinensis (tea), cranberry, garlic, cabbage, kale, and brussels sprouts. In one cancer cell line study, researchers found that even at low doses, quercetin inhibits the rapid increase of breast cancer cells.
Red onions are the most rich in antioxidants and quercetin. Baking, sautéing, roasting, or frying onions boosts some of their nutritional value. Boiling is the only method that reduces quercetin, as it transfers 30% of the substance into the water. Even soups, however, are able to provide us with the full health benefits of an onion. Keep in mind that the skin is the most nutritionally dense part of an onion and can be added to soup stock to increase potency.
Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable higher in antioxidants than most other greens, and packed with phytonutrients, such as glucosinolates, which are a potent anticancer compound. Wild varieties of arugula have the most flavor and nutritional value. Arugula is also higher in calcium, magnesium, folate, and vitamin E than most salad greens. This peppery-flavored green is a great substitute for spinach
Numerous preclinical studies have shown that kaempferol has a range of nutraceutical activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and antidiabetic properties. Some studies show that women who consumed more kaempferol in their diet were at lower risk of ovarian cancer than those with lower intake.
The best sources of kaempferol are capers, saffron, kale, onion, dill seed, lettuce, chamomile, basil, thyme, broccoli, and watercress.
The best sources of kaempferol are capers, saffron, kale, onion, dill seed, lettuce, chamomile, basil, thyme, broccoli, and watercress.
Capers are the flower buds of a thorny Mediterranean shrub. The plants are picked by hand and the best are cured in saltwater (as opposed to vinegar brine), and eaten within one year of harvest. Capers make a wonderful addition to fish and egg salad dishes.
Watercress is a dark, leafy green member of the cruciferous family. Just two cups of watercress provide a significant amount of nutrients: 212% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K1, 48% of vitamin C, 44% of vitamin A, 8% of calcium and manganese, 6% of potassium, and 4% of vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, magnesium, and phosphorous.
Luteolin’s anticancer actions include the induction of cell proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. It sensitizes cancer cells to therapeutic-induced cytotoxicity by suppressing cell survival pathways. One test-tube study found that luteolin stopped cancer cells from multiplying by blocking an important cell cycle regulator.
Foods highest in luteolin are celery, green peppers, olive oil, peppermint, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
Foods highest in luteolin are celery, green peppers, olive oil, peppermint, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
Celery is rich in luteolin, apigenin, kaempferol, and quercetin. It should be eaten within 5-7 days of purchase, as research has found that celery begins to lose antioxidants at a rapid rate. Its leaves, which are rich in vitamin C, calcium, and potassium, should be included in cooking. Organic varieties are preferred, as the Environmental Working Group has consistently placed non-organic celery on its Dirty Dozen list of products found to contain pesticides.
Thyme is an herb that is high in the volatile oil thymol, which is a potent antiseptic. This is why thyme tea is often an ingredient of natural mouthwash, as it kills unwanted oral germs. In fact, it was one of the primary antiseptics in the original Listerine. Fresh thyme can be refrigerated in a damp towel, or dried, in which case it can be stored for up to a year.