BBB Publish time 16-2-2007 10:42 PM

'Watercress can help fight cancer'

By Jane Kirby, PA Health Correspondent

Eating watercress could help protect against cancer, according to a new study.

The salad leaf contains ingredients that help prevent damage to the body's cells and DNA, it found.

The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, involved 30 men and 30 women, half of whom were smokers.

They ate 85g of watercress a day for eight weeks - the equivalent of a small bag of pre-prepared salad - in addition to their regular diet.

Damage to DNA is considered by experts to be an important trigger in the development of cancer.

The results of blood tests on the participants showed a 22.9% reduction in DNA damage to white blood cells.

The researchers, from the University of Ulster, also noted a 100% increase in levels of the molecule lutein and a 33% rise in beta-carotene, both of which have antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants help cells defend themselves against damage.

The research, which was funded by British watercress suppliers, suggested that increased concentrations of carotenoids could improve the antioxidant effects.

Carotenoids are naturally occurring food pigments that contain vitamins.

They concluded: "The results support the theory that consumption of watercress can be linked to a reduced risk of cancer via decreased damage to DNA and possible modulation of antioxidant status by increasing carotenoid concentrations."

The benefits of eating watercress were especially notable among smokers, according to the study.

This could be because smokers had significantly lower antioxidant levels at the start of the study compared with non-smokers, owing to their habit, it said.

Professor Ian Rowland, who led the project, said he believed the findings were "highly significant".

He said previous studies showed links between higher intakes of cruciferous vegetables and a reduced risk of several cancers.

But he added: "What makes this study unique is it involves people eating watercress in easily achievable amounts, to see what impact that might have on known bio-markers of cancer risk, such as DNA damage.

"Most studies to date have relied on tests conducted in test tubes or in animals, with chemicals derived from cruciferous vegetables.

"Blood cell DNA damage is an indicator of whole body cancer risk, and the results support the theory that consumption of watercress is linked to an overall reduced risk of cancer at various sites in the body.

"The nature of the study group also means that the results are applicable to the general population eating a normal diet."

However, Cancer Research UK said the study was not large enough to show a clear link to a decreased risk of cancer.

Dr Anthea Martin, science information officer at the charity, said: "While the results of this study are interesting, it involved a relatively small number of people.

"Larger studies are needed to determine whether the effects of watercress on cells seen by the researchers translate into a decreased risk of developing cancer.

"We do know that a healthy, balanced diet, including plenty of vegetables and fruit and limited amounts of red and processed meat, can help reduce the risk of cancer."

Cancer Research UK is funding a study of 500,000 people across 10 countries looking at the effect of foods on cancer risk.

The watercress study was funded by the Watercress Alliance, made up of three producers, Vitacress Salads, Alresford Salads and The Watercress Company.

Karol Sikora, professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College, said the claims were "grossly overstated".

He added: "We know that fruits and vegetables all do affect DNA damage, hence the five-a-day strategy to prevent cancer.

"There is absolutely nothing special about watercress. I don't think people will seriously convert to eating 85g of the stuff each day.

"That's an awful lot of cress! You might even turn green. Much better to look holistically at your diet and ensure that there's plenty of fruit and vegetables, fibre and as little fat as possible.

"The other weakness in the study is that it obviously doesn't actually show a reduction in cancer incidence - it's only a long-term surrogate that's changed."

He said a long-term study would take 20 years "by which time the investigators and their subjects would be rather bored".

Previous studies have suggested that eating increased amounts of cruciferous vegetables leads to lower cancer risk.

Last year, scientists also published research showing how extracts of cabbages could kill off breast cancer cells when combined with chemotherapy.

The new research found levels of potentially harmful triglycerides were cut by an average of 10%.

Cells were also more able to fight off the damaging effects of particles known as free radicals.

Cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide, which generates large numbers of free radicals, and damage levels were recorded as 9.4% lower than would be expected.

Lynn Faulds Wood, the former Watchdog presenter who has fought bowel cancer, said: "It's great to know there are simple things that people can do - like eating watercress - which could help them avoid getting cancers like bowel cancer in the future."

BBB Publish time 16-2-2007 10:44 PM

Aku baru surfing kat internet ni, terjumpa artikel baru kat medical online. Nak tnya pada sesiapa yg tahu, watercress ni kat malaysia ada ke? Apa nama dia in malay eh?

BBB Publish time 16-2-2007 10:46 PM

Nak tanya dr yg bertauliah kat sini, betul ke kalau makan sayuran can reduce cancerous cells?:o

blackmore Publish time 17-2-2007 12:22 AM

Originally posted by BBB at 16-2-2007 22:44
Aku baru surfing kat internet ni, terjumpa artikel baru kat medical online. Nak tnya pada sesiapa yg tahu, watercress ni kat malaysia ada ke? Apa nama dia in malay eh?

....aku pon tak tau nama melayunya...tapi...nie gambarnya...those yang tau nama melayu tuk watercress nie harap2 dapat membantu...nanti aku kasi upah lerrr....:P


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Nasturtium_lvs.jpg

mitsui Publish time 17-2-2007 02:50 PM

roselle, spirulina dan mengkudu juga baik utk mencegah kanser.

zerozone Publish time 17-2-2007 03:12 PM

Anti oxidants penting dalam melawan cancer. Vitamin2 yg tergolong dlm antioxidants ni termasuklah A, C, E dan selenium. Antooxidant ni menolong menguatkan kembali dinding sel yg rosak yg disebabkan oleh free radicals.

watercress banyak digunakan dlm masakan barat...sebab tu susah nak cari dlm bahasa Melayu.

musang_pulut Publish time 17-2-2007 03:40 PM

Originally posted by blackmore at 17-2-2007 12:22 AM


....aku pon tak tau nama melayunya...tapi...nie gambarnya...those yang tau nama melayu tuk watercress nie harap2 dapat membantu...nanti aku kasi upah lerrr....:P


http://upload.wikime ...

Watercress tu sejenis kangkung..

Ingat satu lagu...The swaying of the watercress (Lengang2 kangkung)


[ Last edited bymusang_pulut at 17-2-2007 03:42 PM ]

BBB Publish time 18-2-2007 01:42 AM

Originally posted by mitsui at 17-2-2007 14:50
roselle, spirulina dan mengkudu juga baik utk mencegah kanser.

Roselle ni apa? Sori eh, tak pernah dgr...

musang_pulut Publish time 18-2-2007 08:16 AM

Originally posted by BBB at 18-2-2007 02:42 AM


Roselle ni apa? Sori eh, tak pernah dgr...

Adik beradik bunga raya

BellaDeLaRossa Publish time 18-2-2007 11:42 PM

bukan ker pokok setawar? n adik beradik dia la....

PASSIONFRUIT Publish time 22-3-2007 12:06 PM

Reply #2 BBB's post

kat Msia nih bleh dpt mana2 la, byk tmp tanam nih,
aku selalu beli kat Pasar Besar Cheras kedai sayur cina, tanyalah
aso tuh..apa ek dorang panggil..kangkung air ke maman air tah...
penah tgk kat supermarket pun kdg ada jual nih...
kira mcm bleh buat ubat apa tah..buat sup,goreng pun sodap.

pokok roselle lak byk tanam sebelah pantai timur...species hibiscus ni.
ari tu kat tesco ada jual buah dia tp kena proses sendirilah.
buat jus ke jem ke...dah byk kat pasaran dah,
byk vit c nih.

MariaClara Publish time 30-9-2009 10:59 AM

ni utk sume jenis cancer ke?

balqishku Publish time 30-9-2009 03:14 PM

aku surf kat tenet apa ke watercress neh.
rope dia mcm pokok pegaga je aku tengok

kacang^soya Publish time 30-9-2009 03:47 PM

masa aku belek buku text kesihatan abg aku dolu2...watercress ni nama melayu nya selada air...apa itu selada air...labu air je aku tau

enemyfrog Publish time 6-10-2009 11:06 AM

watercress byk tanam kt cameron highlands. sedap wat goreng belacan. dah byk dah juai kt market2 tu..

lazuardi_senja Publish time 6-10-2009 02:11 PM

kaau x silaplah watercress tuh pegaga.
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