Love your dark leafy greens
December 4, 2012
By PAMELA REDWINE
November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Called the “stealth cancer,” pancreatic cancer accounts for just 2 percent of new U.S. cancer cases — yet is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths, in part because it is so difficult to detect. Tucked behind the small intestine, the pancreas is an organ which produces insulin and releases enzymes that help aid digestion. Pancreatic cancer has a mortality rate of 86 percent making it one of the deadliest cancers — so prevention is key. Obesity and diabetes are known risk factors, but a recent study zeroes in on the role of diet, singling out dark green vegetables as offering particular benefits.
The Mayo Clinic teamed up with the National Institutes of Health to see how dietary patterns impacted pancreatic cancer risk among 1,530 men and women (average age 66) over the course of five years. Overall, lower consumption of fruit and vegetables translated into a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer. Consumption of dark green vegetables had the greatest benefit, a 57 percent reduced risk. This bolsters previous research, which found consumption of at least two cups of vegetables a day — yams, carrots, onions and dark leafy greens — halved pancreatic cancer risk. What else can you do to minimize risk? Here are a few tips:
— Eat more tomatoes, watermelon and guava — all top sources of lycopene, which might help protect the pancreas, according to a University of Montreal study.
— Focus on vitamin D, linked to a 43 percent reduced risk in one study by Northwestern University.
— Avoid processed meat and limit red meat, which are linked to a 70 percent and 53 percent increased risk respectively.
— Quit smoking! Cigarettes don’t just cause lung cancer, smokers are two to three times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
While more research is needed to confirm the dark green veggie link to lower pancreatic cancer risk, there are plenty of other reasons to enjoy spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli and the like.
Article Source: http://newsletter.dole.com/2012/love-your-dark-leafy-greens/
Asian-style wilted kale
Ingredients
3/4 pound Kale
2 tsp. olive OR canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger, minced
2 tsp. lite soy sauce OR liquid aminos
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Directions
Cut stems off kale leaves with knife. Cut leaves crosswise into thin threads. Rinse well. Blanch in large pot of boiling water two to three minutes. Drain well. Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add garlic, ginger and pepper flakes; cook over low heat, stirring, one to two minutes. Add blanched kale and soy sauce to pan. Cook, stirring five to seven minutes, until heated through. Just before serving, stir in sesame oil. sprinkle with almonds.
