Garlic and onions

[suze]

In Foods To Fight Cancer Prof Beliveau and Dr Gingas have 11 chapters on foods they call nutraceuticals: foods which are specifically good at targetting cancer.

I'm going to do a little thread on each one which sums up the value of the particular food or food group and then where we can add our own comments or recipes etc for each one.

[suze]

Garlic and Onions – the allium family of veg

Garlic
Onions
Shallots
Leeks
Chives

Summary page 85
1. Allium family slow the development of cancer both through their protective action against the damage caused by carcinogens like nitrites and their ability to prevent cancer cell growth.

2. Molecules responsible for these anti-cancer effects are released when the veg ar crushed, chopped or chewed.

3. Freshly crushed garlic is by far the best source of anti-cancer compounds, far better than supplements.

[suze]

Dr S-S notes (page 157)
Garlic is one of the oldest medicinal herbs, recorded as far back as 3,000 B.C.

Louis Pasteur noted its anti-bacterial properties in 1858.

The sulpher compounds in this food group reduce the carcinogenic effect of nitrosamins found in tobacco and grilled meats.

They are known to promote tumour cell death in colon, breast, lung and prostrate cancer.

They are also known to help regulate blood sugar levels which has a positive impact on insulin secretion and IGF.

[suze]

I note that, yet again, the active ingredients are more easily assimilted if taken with a little oil. The modern focus on low-fat diets has not helped us in cancer control.

I am adding linseed oil to my cooking now, both or its Omega 3 properties and also cos it helps to activate the goodness in garlic etc and turmeric!

[anne]

Garlic is also very good for regulating blood pressure, I believe ..

I try to eat garlic every day, very occasionally I will chew a small clove raw or add one to a cheese sandwich.

[leah]

Don't think I could eat it raw....but I do try and add garlic to everything I cook. I put raw red onions in salads......do spring onions count too?

[suze]

I gues so, leah, they are part of the sme family ..

I've eaten it raw in salad dressings, and in whole cloves when in spain, they had it on the bar with our breakfat toast and olive oil! yum!

[suze]

It's also easy to get this food group if you eat a curry with turmeric and black pepper every day, you just slide in the onion and garlic and job done!

[suze]

Whole Grains & Onions
If, like me, you start off cooking a lot of your meals by sautéeing onion and garlic, you’re in luck. Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry suggests that combining garlic and/or onions with whole grains may help boost the absorption of iron and zinc—minerals found in small amounts in whole grains that are absorbed less easily from plant than animal sources. (Iron helps shuttle oxygen to cells; zinc is needed for healthy immunity and repairing wounds.) Researchers don’t know exactly how, but speculate that sulfur compounds in onions and garlic are what help to promote absorption.

[suze]

I have recently bought a huge bag od onions very cheap, cooked the whole lot up and bagged it in the freezer, ready as a base for any meal that starts with a few onions ...

yay!

[suze]

Nov 17, 2013 1:11:47 GMT suze said:

I have recently bought a huge bag od onions very cheap, cooked the whole lot up and bagged it in the freezer, ready as a base for any meal that starts with a few onions ...

yay!

This was such a good idea. it makes things much quicker to have a bag of cooked onions ready to throw into any random veggie recipe ... must keep my eyes open for them again.

[Mark]

How did you cook them?

[suze]

Apr 29, 2014 21:31:40 GMT Mark said:

How did you cook them?

erm .. I think I just simmered them in stock, low fat priority at the time ..

as usual!