Benefits Abound in Beans and Whole Grains

WINTER 2009
ON DIET, NUTRITION AND CANCER PREVENTION
ISSUE 102
Benefits Abound in Beans and
Whole Grains
Hearty and economical, beans and whole grains have long sustained people around the globe. Replete
with fiber, minerals and protein, beans and whole grains also contain phytochemicals and vitamins that
studies show may help fight cancer.
Bring on the Beans
You probably have a few
cans of beans collecting
dust in the back of your
cupboard. But are you
making the most of what
beans can offer in your
diet? Beans and other legumes, such as lentils and
peas, are not only hearty
and delicious – they contain vitamins like folate, a
B vitamin that may help
offset cancer development, as well as flavonoids,
a group of phytochemicals.
Beans also offer minerals
such as magnesium and
potassium.
AICR’s expert report,
Food, Nutrition, Physical
Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global
Perspective, found that
foods containing dietary
fiber, like beans and whole
grains, may decrease risk for colorectal cancer. The
fiber in beans also helps to lower cholesterol levels and
improve heart health.
Beans contain protein (about 15 g per cup), and
provide other nutrients such as iron and zinc. That
makes them an excellent, cholesterol-free meat alternative. AICR’s expert report says there is limited
evidence that beans may protect against stomach and
prostate cancers.
Go with the Grains
Along with beans, whole
grains have been neglected for too long in typical
American diets. Whole
grains have the outer layer
(including the bran), the
starch and protein, and the
germ of the grain. These
parts are usually stripped
away by refining. Luckily,
food manufacturers have put
more whole-grain breads,
pastas and breakfast cereals
on the market.
The high fiber content
in grains probably causes
them to protect against
colorectal cancer, the experts say. Some grains also
provide protein, especially
quinoa (“keenwah”) at 8 g
per cup. Research studies also suggest that whole
grains may lower risk for
type 2 diabetes, heart disease and excess weight. The USDA recommends
eating at least three servings per day. One serving size
equals: ½ cup cooked rice or pasta; 1 slice of bread; or
1 cup of cereal.
Bean and Grain Phytochemicals
Scientists believe natural compounds called phytochemicals in beans and whole grains (and all other
(Continued on page 3.)
FREE brochures and cancer information on page 2…
Look inside for tips on cooking broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables
AICR’s expert report to be updated continuously…4 On track with a senior sprinter…5
Dr. Barbara Rolls discusses calorie density…6 Promising new cruciferous research…12
The Newsletter is a free publication mailed to current AICR members and supporters. For more information, go to www.aicr.org
Editor’s
Note
by Marilyn Gentry
Good health is a gift that
enriches our lives in so many
ways. As time goes by, it becomes ever more clear how
worthwhile it is to follow the
AICR Guidelines for Cancer Prevention.
During the holidays, keeping the gift of good
health in mind is perhaps more difficult than usual.
Your healthy eating plans may be derailed by social
events, stress and less sleep. To avoid these pitfalls,
it’s more important than ever right now to eat
healthily and be physically active each day.
This issue of your Newsletter gives you handy
tools for doing so. Check our interview with Dr.
Barbara Rolls, a scientist who is nationally known
for her studies on eating habits and calorie density.
She gives you an easy method to choose foods that
can fill you up with fewer calories, a key to eating
for lower cancer risk. And to learn more, you can
order a free copy of AICR’s new brochure, More
Food and Fewer Calories: The Science of Calorie
Density. (Please see below).
Research-based articles on cancer-fighting foods
and easy physical activities to keep you nimble are
inside this issue as well. I wish you a happy – and
healthy – New Year from all of us at AICR.
Thank You to our many readers who have made a gift to us in memory or honor of a friend or loved one.
Remember those you care about by calling 1-800-843-8114 or by visiting us online at www.aicr.org/
memory, and we will notify the family or special person about your thoughtful gift.
FREE from AICR
These free materials bring you practical, thoroughly researched information on how to lower your cancer risk. They are made
possible only through your contributions. A gift enclosed with your request is much appreciated. To order, return the “Free
Information Request” card, or write AICR, 1759 R Street, NW, P.O. Box 97167, Washington, DC 20090-7167.
Thoughtful Planning for
Health Care Decisions
(HCD) provides helpful
guidance as you make decisions about your health
care choices, including
living wills, durable power
of attorney, power of attorney for healthcare and
advance directives.
Beans and Whole Grains:
The New American Plate
(BWG), following AICR’s
cancer-fighting model for
you meals, this brochure
helps you add more whole
grains and beans to your
plate and includes recipes.
UPDATED
More Food, Fewer Calories: The Science of Calorie Density (CD) describes
a simple, researched
approach to eating for a
healthy body weight and
lower cancer risk.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
Sensational Substitutions
(SS) bookmark lists healthy
substitutions for common ingredients to make your favorite recipes healthier without
sacrificing taste.
Taking a Closer Look at
Phytochemicals (TLP)
explains simply what phytochemicals in plant foods
are and how they work to
protect us from cancer.
3
Nutrition
Continued from page 1.
plant foods) may play a role in preventing cancer and
slowing cancer growth:
•Phytic acid, in beans and whole grains, is an
antioxidant that has shown an ability to halt
abnormal cell growth and shrink tumor size in
some studies.
•Saponins, in peas and soybeans, may suppress
cancer cell growth and may cause cancer cells to
self-destruct.
•Protease inhibitors, in beans, barley, oats, wheat
and rye, may slow cell division.
•Lignans, in rye, soybeans, soy products and wheat,
are a type of phytoestrogen being investigated for
hormone regulation.
AICR grantee Ivana Vucenik, Ph.D., has investigated a
phytochemical called IP6 in cereal products. Dr. Vucenic is Associate Professor of Medical and Research
Technology and Pathology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
“Studies by our research group
and others have shown a promising anti-cancer effect in bran’s
IP6 and inositol, its parent compound,” she says. “Recent
laboratory data indicate these
substances may protect against
solar and other radiation-induced
tissue damage.”
Pilot clinical studies are being conducted in Croatia and show that
Dr. Ivana Vucenik
when IP6 plus inositol was given
in combination with chemo- and radiation therapy,
side effects were diminished, she adds.
NEW – Food for the Fight DVD
AICR's new DVD offers advice
for cancer survivors from nationally known experts.
Part 1, for patients in treatment,
covers interactions between
food and treatment, maintaining a healthy weight and advice
on eating a cancer-fighting
diet.
Part 2, for survivors after treatment, presents guidelines
for preventing recurrence, cooking demonstrations and
expert tips on being active. Each DVD costs $9.95 (bulk
order discounts are available).
To order, visit www.aicr.org/foodforthefight or call
1-800-843-8114, ext. 470, 9 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday,
Eastern Time.
Rice and Black Beans with Pineapple
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
3⁄ 4
cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tsp. finely chopped ginger
3⁄ 4
cup brown jasmine rice, uncooked
1⁄ 8
tsp. red pepper flakes
1⁄2 cup
reduced-fat coconut milk
1 cup fat free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
2⁄3 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained
2 Tbsp. chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
In large, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium-high
heat. Sauté onions until translucent, 4 minutes. Stir in
garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in ginger, cooking
until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Mix rice and pepper flakes into onions. Add coconut milk, broth and water. Bring liquid to boil, cover
tightly and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until rice is
tender, 45-50 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit,
covered, for 10 minutes.
Using a fork, mix in beans, pineapple and scallions.
Season rice to taste with salt and pepper. If necessary,
cover and reheat over medium-low heat. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro.
Makes 5 servings. Per serving: 225 calories, 5 g total fat
(2 g saturated fat), 39 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein,
6 g dietary fiber, 220 mg sodium.
You can order a free copy of the
new brochure, Beans and Whole Grains: The New
American Plate, featuring delicious recipes for these
nutritious foods. Check box 1 on your Free Information Request card.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
4
A Growing Body of Evidence
Research
What if health professionals could sit down at a computer and see how the latest research affects the
AICR Recommendations for Cancer Prevention? A new AICR/WCRF project hopes to do just that.
A
ICR’s expert report on food, nutrition, physical
activity and cancer prevention took five years of
intensive work to produce. The scientific process and
scope of work was so comprehensive and rigorous that
a decade passed between the first and second reports.
And the studies keep streaming in.
Now, an innovative pilot project by AICR and its
affiliate, the World Cancer Research Fund International
in the U.K., is aiming to help people see how recent
studies affect the expert report’s recommendations on
cancer prevention.
A Continuous Update
The project is a database that will use the same rigorous
evaluation methods used in the expert report. Instead of
one massive undertaking that culminates in a published
report, the online database will continuously update and
review research findings.
“The number of studies being published [in diet,
weight and cancer prevention] is growing every year as
more and more people have recognized there is a role
for diet in cancer prevention,” says Dr. Teresa Norat,
Principal Research Fellow in the Division of Epidemiology in the Faculty of Medicine at London’s Imperial
College and leader of the online database project. “I
think this database will someday replace the huge activity of the global report – this is the aim, to have a
continuous update. It is very ambitious but we believe
it will work.”
Along with Dr. Norat, the team includes a database
manager and a nutritionist. The first task was to pull
together all the studies collected during the expert
report’s systematic literature review, centralizing more
AICR Guidelines for
Cancer Prevention
The choices you make about
food, physical activity and
weight management can
reduce your chances of
developing cancer.
•Choose mostly plant foods, limit red meat
and avoid processed meat.
•Be physically active every day in any way for
30 minutes or more.
•Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life.
And always remember –
do not smoke or chew tobacco.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
Dr. Teresa Norat (left) and two of the continuous update
project team members, Rui Vieira and Doris Chan.
than 20 databases from nine teams at universities and
research centers around the world.
One Cancer and One Exposure at a Time
The first site for which Dr. Norat’s team will centralize
data is breast cancer. The database will include all the
studies on this cancer reviewed for the expert report,
along with relevant new studies.
The project will alternate from focusing on one
cancer site to one “exposure.” Exposures are factors that
may have a relationship to cancer prevention, such as
calcium intake or physical activity. Little by little, the
team will continue generating updated databases on
different cancer sites and exposures and the experts will
continue to re-evaluate their conclusions.
“The hope is that users could enter a cancer site,
such as skin cancer, and/or one exposure, such as calcium intake, into the database and immediately see
the latest findings on the relationship,” says Dr. Norat.
Ultimately, the project will enable AICR and WCRF
to provide a fuller, more precise understanding of what
each of us can do to prevent cancer.
CancerResource
AICR’s Free Resource Guide for Cancer Patients
If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with cancer, call AICR about CancerResource –
a free information program to help cancer patients take
a more active and informed role in their treatment.
CancerResource provides the latest information on:
Treatment options • Second opinions • Questions
to ask your doctor • Handling your emotions • Side
effects from treatment • Dietary problems • Other
important issues.
AICR’s CancerResource is now available for breast
cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. For more information, call 1-800-843-8114, ext.
37, Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm, Eastern Time or visit
www.aicr.org.
Health
Sprinting toward 75
5
Audrey Lary is one active senior whose passions for fitness and healthy eating are eclipsed only by a
humble and positive nature.
A
routine is almost never the same. It’s
t 74, Audrey Lary sets track and
a wonderful feeling [working out],”
field records at the Senior Olymsays Audrey. “ I always feel great after
pics and other events. In 2005, she
I’m done.”
won three gold medals for the long
Audrey believes that eating
jump, triple jump and hammer throw
healthfully is an important part of
at a national championship in Hawaii.
fitness. She has some heart conditions
“Records are fun, but they are made
and high cholesterol, but resists using
to be broken,” she says. Audrey enjoys
statin drugs to lower her cholesterol.
meeting new people and catching up
Instead, she has worked closely with
with old friends at events.
her cardiologist, a naturopathic physiAudrey didn’t start competing
cian, and her family doctor to nudge
until she was 60. When her husband
her cholesterol level down from 245
Ralph, a marine officer, developed
to 200 with diet.
multiple sclerosis in 1970 he grew
“We can’t all be athletes like
concerned that Audrey would injure
Audrey, of course,” says AICR Seherself while taking care of him. He
nior Science Advisor Ritva Butrum.
suggested she get a personal trainer.
“But all of us can be inspired by her
So she signed up with the Inexample to keep moving as we get
Fit Studio in Maryland, and hit the
older. When it comes to lowering
ground running – literally. Ralph,
cancer risk, it’s staying active that’s
upbeat and positive despite mountAudrey Lary
important – every day, in any way.”
ing physical limitations, lived with
his debilitating disease for more than 35 years before
passing away in 2005.
AICR Recommendations for
“It was due to his encouragement that I keep myself
Cancer Prevention
fit,” Audrey says. “We had a wonderful life. I thought
At age 74, sprinter Audrey
Lary says, "Records are
fun, but they are made
to be broken."
after Ralph died, ‘thank heavens I have track and field.’
It buoyed me and kept me going. I know he is so happy
that I’m doing this.”
A Year-Round Athlete
“Sprinting is quick, it’s over, and I’m on to the next fun
event,” Audrey laughs. But she trains five days a week
so she can compete in about 15 events each year. In
the winter she heads indoors for national indoor track
and field championships.
At home, Audrey goes to In-Fit to train with owner
Kip Jawish three times a week and hits the track at
Mount Saint Mary’s University or Fort Detrick. She
usually rests on Sundays and Tuesdays. Jawish tailors
Audrey’s routine to her seasonal competitions.
“We do all sorts of things,” Audrey says, “my
1.Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
2.Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
3.Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energydense foods (particularly processed foods high in
added sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat).
4.Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole
grains and legumes such as beans.
5.Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork
and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
6.If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men
and 1 for women a day.
7.Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
8.Don’t use supplements to protect against cancer.
Special Population Recommendations
9.It is best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up
to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods.
10.After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the
recommendations for cancer prevention.
And always remember –
do not smoke or chew tobacco.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
6
Research
More Food and Fewer Calories
Barbara J. Rolls, Ph.D. is one of the nation’s leading researchers on why people eat the way they do.
She is Director of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior at The Pennsylvania State
University. Dr. Rolls’s studies on nutritional strategies for weight management have been published in
leading scientific journals, and she is author of the ground-breaking book Volumetrics. AICR asked Dr.
Rolls to tell us about her findings on “calorie density” (also known as “energy density”) and how it allows
people to eat more food yet fewer calories for weight control and lower cancer risk.
AICR: What is calorie density?
Rolls: Calorie density is a property
of food. It simply refers to the number of calories in a given amount
of food.
AICR: What influences a food’s
calorie density?
small portion of lean meat, substitute the mayonnaise with mustard,
bulk it up with your favorite veggies
and add a whole-grain, high-fiber
bread. On top of that, don’t drink
the soda (have water instead) and
eat some fruit. In the end, you can
end up with some significant calorie savings – and you’re still eating
the same amount of food.
Rolls: The main influences on
calorie density are the water conAICR: How does this advice differ
tent of food and the fat content.
from the traditional “eat less” apWater is the largest component of
proach to weight loss?
food and it has the biggest impact
on calorie density. The more water
Rolls: I think when you tell most
a food has (fruits and vegetables,
people to “just eat less,” they don’t
for example), the more it dilutes
want to do that. They end up with
the calories and lowers the calorie
a half empty plate and they say to
density.
themselves – before even eating –
Fat, on the other hand, raises
“That’s not enough, I’m still going
the calorie density. So getting fat
to be hungry.” But by choosing less
Dr. Barbara J. Rolls
out wherever you can – especially
calorie-dense foods (water-rich
the animal fats, the saturated fats – is a good, healthy
foods and foods with a bit of fat reduction), you end up
thing to do.
getting your usual amount of food, you get a healthier
selection of food and you’re getting fewer calories.
AICR: Why is thinking about a food’s calorie density
useful?
Rolls: Research has shown that the amount (or weight)
of food that people report eating on a daily basis is more
consistent than their calorie intake. If people reduce
the calorie density of their food choices enough, they
can continue to eat the same amount of food, but take
in fewer calories. For example, if you take the calorie
density down by 30 percent, many people will eat 30
percent fewer calories without feeling hungry and without compensating for those calories at a later meal.
AICR: How do you lower the calorie density of a
meal?
“The more water a food has (fruits
and vegetables, for example), the
more it dilutes the calories and
lowers the calorie density.”
AICR: In addition to increasing the proportion of fruits
and vegetables in a meal and decreasing the fat, are
there any other strategies you would recommend?
AICR: Can you provide an example?
Rolls: Try having a big portion of a low-calorie salad,
soup or fruit at the beginning of the meal. We think
eating these low calorie-density foods at the start of
a meal is a good strategy. They help to fill you up and
you have less room for the more calorie-dense foods
that tend to come later in the meal.
Rolls: Sure. Take an ordinary sandwich. Start with a
AICR: Is there a take-home message here?
Rolls: By adding in more fruits and vegetables (waterrich foods) or taking a little bit of fat out.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
7
Research
Rolls: Understanding the relationship between the
calorie density of a food and how much of that food
you can eat is important. Eating big portions of calorie
dense foods is particularly problematic. I think people
need to be aware of what is influencing the calorie
density of their choices and try wherever they can to
increase the water content – add fruits and vegetables
– and to keep unnecessary fat down.
For practical tips on how to eat a
lower calorie-dense diet, you can order a free copy
of the new AICR brochure, More Food, Fewer Calories: The Science of Calorie Density. Check box 2
on the Free Information Request card.
A Meal with Lower Calorie Density
You can put the low calorie-density approach to work on your plate by following the
proportions of the New American Plate: 2⁄3 or more plant foods (vegetables, fruits,
whole grains and beans) and 1⁄3 or less animal protein. The second step is to choose
plant foods prepared and served in ways that preserve their low calorie-density.
Here’s an example that shows how to feel full on
fewer calories:
New American Plate… about 380
calories and 11 grams of fat
1 serving Snowpeas and Cashews*
1 serving sautéed Tricolor Peppers with Fresh Herbs*
1 serving Brown Rice with Scallions and Fresh Herbs*
3 oz. roasted skinless turkey breast
Old Plate… about 720 calories and
29 grams of fat
8 oz. cooked ribeye steak (choice cut)
1 cup mashed potatoes made with whole milk
and butter
1⁄4
cup green peas
The new plate fits more food on the plate while
cutting the calories and fat in half. It’s filled with
a greater variety of delicious, cancer-fighting
vegetables and whole grains for a satisfying meal.
*These recipes are available in AICR’s New American Plate
Cookbook, published by the University of California Press
and sold at booksellers nationwide.
Find out how to substitute healthier ingredients when cooking and baking by ordering
a free copy of AICR’s Sensational Substitutions card. Check box 3 on your Free Information Request card.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
8
Health
Warm Up to Make Activity Easier
Did you know that adding 5-10 minutes to your exercise routine can help ease you into your workout
and enjoy it more? If you’re adding more physical activity to your day for lower cancer risk, warming up
can make it easier on your muscles without doing too much too soon and giving up.
I
t may sound impossible to spend more time for physi cal activity than the minimum 30 minutes a day
AICR recommends for lower cancer risk. But it’s not
that hard to add a few more minutes when you’re already starting an activity.
As long as you are exercising, it’s worth adding
just a few more minutes to allow yourself a good start.
A warm-up should be slower than the moderate pace
advised for those 30 minutes.
Why Do a Warm Up?
It may seem like an easy process – you decide to go
for a bike ride, you hop on your bike, start moving
your legs and you’re off. But if you warm up first with
a brisk, 5-minute walk, you’ll be better prepared for
that ride.
During the first few minutes of activity, your heart
beats faster, your lungs work harder and your body
temperature rises. It’s all an effort to get enough fuel
to your muscles so they can use it for activity.
This doesn’t happen instantaneously. It takes some
time for the systems on the inside of the body to catch
up with the demands of exercising at the recommended
pace. When all the processes on the inside are complete, then you will be comfortable hitting a moderate
or vigorous pace.
A Slow and Safe
Beginning
According to the
American Council on Exercise
(ACE), warming
up:
•allows you to work
out comfortably longer because all your
energy systems are
able to gradually adjust to exercise;
•improves your
joints’ range of motion;
•p r e p a r e s y o u
mentally to take
on the challenge of
more intense activity;
•leads to efficient calorie
burning by increasing your
core body temperature; and
• prevents injuries by gradually improving the
elasticity of your muscles and your blood circulation.
How to Warm Up
Turn the TV Off, Get Up and Go
Sedentary living – when you spend a lot of time being inactive and don’t get the minimum 30 minutes daily of physical
activity – convincingly increases risk of weight gain, according
to AICR’s expert report. One particular pastime – watching TV
– has its own probable role in making us fatter.
Why is that important? Because the research also shows that
once people become overweight, they open the door to several
kinds of cancer and other chronic diseases. The good news is
the trend can be reversed.
A 2006 study at Duke University showed that overweight,
middle-aged adults who were sedentary for six months overcame many of the negative health effects of inactivity with
six months of exercise. Other studies show that at any age,
people can reap the health benefits that come with getting
more active.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
Warming up isn’t complicated. All you have to
do is take your activity down a notch.
Often, this is about 50 percent of your intended intensity level. For example, if you are
headed out for a run, start with a slow jog. If you
are going to swim laps, do a few slow laps first.
If you are going to lift weights or use the weight
machines at a gym, walk and swing your arms at
a moderate pace first. Take a brisk walk along the
golf course or tennis court first, and then begin
your activity at a very easy pace. For example,
take some time for a few practice swings before
you start your game.
Typically a warm-up should last 5-10 minutes; however, if you are preparing for a very
intense workout (like a race) you may want to
warm up for a little bit longer.
9
Nutrition
Nutritionist's experts
For maximum protection from cancer, AICR
recommend avoiding alcohol altogether. But
Notes
for those who choose to drink, one standard drink
Sarah Wally, MS, RD
Getting in the Holiday
Spirit - without Spirits
As the holiday season quickly approaches, eggnog,
punch and spirits will soon be flowing freely. While
we all know these libations can add extra calories and
extra pounds, few of us realize that alcohol can also
increase cancer risk.
Evidence linking alcohol consumption to cancer
has become stronger in recent years. For one thing,
researchers suspect that alcohol enhances the ability
of carcinogens to penetrate cells where they can cause
DNA damage and promote cancer development.
AICR’s expert report notes that drinking alcohol
increases risk for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, colon, breast and probably the liver as well.
per day for women and two for men appear to be
reasonably safe amounts. (Standard amounts equal:
five ounces of wine; 12 ounces of beer; or 1.5 ounces
of 80-proof liquor.)
As for the evidence that alcohol helps guard
against heart disease, these apparent benefits are
obtained within the limits and standard amounts.
Here are some tips to help you limit alcohol,
while still enjoying the party:
• Bring your own alcohol-free punch. Dress it up
with fresh fruit or sherbet.
• Make a wine spritzer. Pour half a portion of alcohol and fill the rest of your glass with fruit juice and
sparkling water.
• If you’re the host, create a fresh fruit smoothie bar in
place of a traditional bar. Alternate “bartenders” and
let guests enjoy creating their own signature drinks.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Harriet is encouraged
You could say that Dr.
by AICR’s focus on indiHarriet Vines is a second
vidual responsibility. She
generation donor. Her
appreciates that AICR
mother was a dedicated
alerts people to the risks
supporter of AICR. After
of poor diet, assumes they
her mother passed on,
are intelligent and proHarriet became a monthly
vides them with tools to
donor in tribute to her
help them adopt an apmother and her mother’s
propriate personal diet.
commitment to charities.
She sees this focus as the
Because she is a memkey to building people’s
ber of the Stockbridge,
Monthly Donor
self-esteem, giving them a
Massachusetts Board of AICRHarriet
Vines
sense of control over their
Health and a specialist
lives, and reducing the stress that is
in successful aging, our mission
often associated with a sense of havresonates with Harriet. Her new
ing little power over their health.
book is Age Smart − How to Age
As a monthly donor, Harriet
Well, Stay Fit and Be Happy. Harriet
gives her donation through her
follows AICR’s exercise guidelines
credit card. Her donations are aufaithfully. Whether it’s walking,
tomatically deducted every month
playing tennis or riding a bike, she
so she no longer has to think about
exercises close to 30 minutes every
individual contributions throughday. Harriet also follows our diet
out the year. Credit card donations
recommendations and eats five
are convenient and cost-effective,
servings of fruits and vegetables a
allowing more of Harriet’s money to
day. She thinks the AICR recipe
go directly to AICR’s research and
cards sent to monthly donors are
education programs.
terrific and has incorporated many
Thank you, Harriet, for supof our recipes into her menus (she
porting our mission and living such
just made and loved the Braised Red
an exemplary lifestyle!
Cabbage with Apples).
Thoughtful
Planning for Health
Care Decisions
AICR’s free brochure, Thoughtful Planning for Health Care
Decisions, provides
helpful guidance as
you make decisions
about your health
care choices,
including:
Living wills
Durable power
of attorney
Power of
attorney for
healthcare
Advance
directives
To order, simply check box 5 on
the Free Information Request card
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American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
10
A Cruciferous Family Reunion
Nutrition
As you prepare your holiday guest list, be sure to invite some members of the cruciferous family. If you’re
already familiar with broccoli and cauliflower, try introducing turnips, watercress and leafy greens to the
table. This versatile group of veggies offers a multitude of general health and anti-cancer benefits.
C
ruciferous vegetables are so-named because they
contain four-petaled flowers that are reminiscent
of a cross. Most people associate broccoli, cauliflower,
cabbage and Brussels sprouts with this family. Watercress and bok choy are cruciferous as well. But you may
be surprised to learn that kale, collard greens, turnips,
arugula, rutabaga and radishes are cruciferous, too.
Many cruciferous vegetables provide significant
amounts of vitamin C and several provide beta
carotene and other carotenoids. The dark leafy varieties also contain calcium. Like other plant foods,
cruciferous veggies are low in calories and provide
health-protective dietary fiber.
All members of this family
contain powerful cancer-fighting
phytochemicals like crambene,
indole-3-carbinol, kaempferol (found
in radishes) and sulforaphane. Research suggests that eating a diet
rich in nonstarchy vegetables like the
cruciferous kind may reduce your risk
of mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophageal
and stomach cancers. (See article on
page 12.)
Some simple methods for selecting, storing
and cooking these veggies will bring out their best
flavors.
Be Picky, Then Keep It Fresh
First, buy the freshest produce possible. Look for firm
stalks, tight florets and bright green leaves. Avoid limp,
wilting vegetables that contain yellow or brown leaves
or spots. Find bunches of thin-stemmed watercress with
unblemished leaves. Choose unbruised, tightly packed
cabbage heads that are heavy for their size. Hand-select
smaller Brussels sprouts, which have a milder flavor
than the larger ones and are more tender. (Frozen versions give you health protection as well.)
Buy only as many fresh cruciferous veggies as you
can eat within a few days, because older vegetables
develop more bitterness. Store unwashed cruciferous vegetables in a loosely sealed plastic bag in the
refrigerator.
For Best Flavor, Cook Quickly or Gently
Overcooking cruciferous vegetables in water causes
them to lose vitamin C and other water-soluble nutrients.
Instead, use gentle cooking methods (like braising
and steaming) or quick methods (such as microwaving,
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
sautéeing, grilling and stir-frying). Cook only until
crisp-tender to maximize the flavor and nutrients.
Rutabagas and turnips are the exception; these
should be cooked at high temperatures to bring out
their sweet, rich flavor. After removing the rutabaga’s
skin, try oven roasting or grilling to caramelize its
natural sugars.
With leafy greens, sauté in a small amount of
canola or olive oil with some garlic and onion. Peel
and chop broccoli stems and cook with the florets. If
boiling cauliflower, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to
the cooking water to avoid discoloration. Peel kohlrabi,
then slice and add raw to salads or shred, sauté and
sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
When serving cruciferous vegetables, balance out
their strong flavors by pairing with an equally strong
flavoring, such as the following.
Mix ’n Match Cruciferous Flavors
Match 1 or more from left column with 1 from
right column
Honey Mustard
Vinegar (balsamic, tarragon, etc.)
Soy sauce (reduced-sodium
version) Citrus juices (lemon, lime, orange, etc.)
Spices (anise seed, curry,)
garlic powder, ginger, etc.)
Hot pepper sauce or salsa
Reduced-sodium tomato-
based sauce
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (bok choy, green,
red)
Cauliflower
Greens (arugula, chard,
collards, kale, watercress)
Rutabagas
Turnips
’Tis the Season
Most cruciferous vegetables are now available in grocery stores year-round, but many also have traditional
harvest seasons.
Fall and winter: cauliflower, kale, turnip greens
Fall through spring: broccoli, collard greens, mustard
greens, rutabagas, turnips
Winter: mustard greens
Spring through fall: kohlrabi, radishes
Spring and early summer: arugula
Late summer through winter or early spring: Brussels
sprouts, cabbage
Year-round: broccoli rabe, bok choy, watercress
Health
It’s Never Too Late to Protect
Your Bones
11
No matter what your age or exercise background, you can protect the health of your bones. While
physical activity renews your muscles and lowers your cancer risk, it also gives you the added benefit of
maintaining your bone density and reducing the risk of falling.
B
ones may not look alive, like skin
or a beating heart do, but bone is living tissue made of bone cells. When you
do weight-bearing exercise, like walking,
aerobics or weight lifting, your muscles
move against resistance by contracting.
Contracting muscles, which are attached
to bones by tendons, pull on your bones.
This forces the bone to become stronger
and denser in anticipation for the next
pulling (weight-bearing) activity. That’s
how building muscle also helps to protect
your bones.
Exercise for building bones should consist of 1) strength training, 2) flexibility, 3)
reaction speed and 4) balance.
Some physical therapists and programs
for seniors start with balance exercises. But
before balance, exercises that strengthen
your muscles need to come first. And
balance testing by a physical therapist is
covered by Medicare.
“Focusing on balance training before
developing these more important attributes [1, 2 and 3] will not deliver the
results,” says Dr. Jade Teta, a physician
and conditioning specialist from North
Carolina.
“A person in danger of falling and
breaking a hip does not fall in slow motion, but instead must react with lightning
muscular speed and have adequate bone
strength to keep from injury,” she explains.
“For bone to get stronger, it needs to
be loaded along its length. For instance, a
squat exercise loads the bone in a linear
fashion down the spine into the hips and
down the legs. Also, the load must be heavy
enough to force the bone to respond.”
Sitting on a stability ball doesn’t load
the leg bones with an even amount of stress
as plain squats from a standing position
do. “Squats develop a base of strength and
power first,” Dr. Teta points out. In turn,
the risk of falling is reduced.
To do squats, try not to hold
onto anything. Set your feet
hip-width apart and
hold your arms out
straight in front of you.
Bend your knees to squat
until you can no longer see your feet.
You can go farther until your thighs
are parallel to the floor (but not lower,
which may cause injury). Keep your
heels on the floor and your back
straight. Then rise to a standing position again. Start with a few, maybe 5
each day, then increase the number
and try to go lower.
This exercise is an easy way to build
bone, balance and coordination.
First, stand on your toes
and then let your body
weight back down
so that your heel gently
strikes the floor. Then try
using a step on a staircase
with a banister available
to grab (only if you lose
your balance), and step up
then back down, repeating
10 times for each leg. Over
time, increase the height
of the step – for example,
step two steps higher
instead of one.
You can also build your bones through step aerobics, very brisk
walking and jogging. If you use a treadmill, do not hold on to the
rail, because this will weaken your body’s balance efficiency and
eliminate the weight-bearing effect.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102
12
Research
Cruciferous Vegetables Still Show
Cancer-Fighting Ability
Research shows that cruciferous vegetables – like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts – contain a variety
of cancer-protective substances. Here’s an update on what some of the ongoing research shows.
A
major breakthrough in diet and cancer research
took place in 1992, when Drs. Paul Talalay and
Yuesheng Zhang isolated the potent phytochemical
sulforaphane from broccoli with funding from AICR.
Five years later, with his colleague Dr. Jed Fahey,
Dr. Talalay found sulforaphane to be particularly abundant in broccoli sprouts.
Since then, even more phytochemicals
in cruciferous vegetables have shown
anti-cancer potential.
Drs. Talalay and Zhang discovered that sulforaphane helps prevent
cancer by activating protective phase-2
enzymes. Enzymes are proteins in the body
that speed up many reactions. Phase-2 enzymes
detoxify carcinogens by making them water-soluble so
that they can be excreted from the body.
Another property that makes sulforaphane and
other phase-2 inducers so effective in cancer prevention is that they are “indirect” antioxidants. “While
a direct antioxidant like vitamin C gets knocked out
A Wealth of Phytochemicals
All cruciferous vegetables contain powerful cancerfighting phytochemicals, including:
diindolylmethane (DIM), one of many indoles found
in these vegetables, has been shown to inhibit proteins associated with breast and ovarian cancers.
crambene, plentiful in Brussels sprouts, may offer
the most preventive benefits when combined with
indole-3-carbinol (I3C).
glucosinolates, which turn into powerful protective
agents called isothiocyanates when a cruciferous vegetable is chewed or chopped. May reduce inflammation, a factor in cancer development.
right away in order to exert its effect,
many phase-2 enzymes induced by
sulforaphane have antioxidant functions that persist in the body for two
or three days,” explains Dr. Fahey.
In general, Dr. Fahey advises
eating vegetables as food rather
than taking pills of isolated phytochemicals because he is “absolutely
convinced” that these naturally occurring substances are more effective
working together in the body than
Dr. Paul Talalay
apart.
Dr. Fahey and other scientists have found that
sulforaphane can effectively and directly block breast,
colon, stomach and bladder
tumors in animals. The next
step in Dr. Fahey’s research
is to determine whether sulforaphane activates protective
enzymes in women at risk for
breast cancer.
With funding from AICR,
scientists like Dr. Fahey will
continue to explore how
specific substances in
these vegetables
Dr. Jed Fahey
may work
to protect against cancers of the
endometrium, cervix, colon, liver,
lung, prostate and stomach. In the
meantime, AICR recommends eating cruciferous vegetables regularly
as part of a varied, plant-based diet.
To order a free copy of the
easy-to-read brochure Taking a Closer Look at Phytochemicals, check box 4 on the Free Information
Request card.
The American Institute for Cancer Research Newsletter is a publication of the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) published at 1759 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009, telephone
(202) 328-7744. The American Institute for Cancer Research is a non-profit organization, federal tax #52-1238026.
AICR is not engaged in rendering medical advice. For advice in specific cases, the services of a physician should be obtained. A copy of AICR’s financial report may be obtained by writing AICR,
1759 R Street NW, PO Box 97167, Washington, DC 20090-7167. New York residents may also obtain this financial report by writing to the New York Department of State, Office of Charities
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Executive Editor – Marilyn Gentry; Editor – Catherine Wolz; Associate Editor – Mya Rae Nelson; Contributing Writers – Jacqueline Duda, Lorra Garrick, Holly Lincoln, Mary Kennedy, M.S.,
H.F.S., Mya Rae Nelson, Allison Stevens, M.S., R.D., Sarah Wally, M.S., R.D., Glen Weldon, Catherine Wolz; Design and Illustrations – Scott von Bergener and Roberto Quiroga; Editorial Review
Committee – Ritva Butrum, Ph.D., AICR Senior Science Advisor; Karen Collins, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., Nutrition Consultant; John Erdman, Jr., Ph.D., University of Illinois; Elaine Feldman, M.D.,
Medical College of Georgia; Jan Kasofsky, Ph.D., R.D., Capital Area Human Services District, Louisiana; Kimberly Kline, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin; Barbara Pence, Ph.D., Texas Tech
University; Richard Rivlin, M.D., Strang Cancer Prevention Center at The Rockefeller University; AICR Executive Staff. For article sources, call or write AICR headquarters.
American Institute for Cancer Research NEWSLETTER, Winter 2009, Issue 102