Fwd: All-Natural Processed Heavenly Bliss

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Thu, 29 Apr 2004 09:09:17 -0500

HSI - Jenny Thompson

All-Natural Processed Heavenly Bliss

 

All-Natural Processed Heavenly Bliss

 

Health Sciences Institute e-Alert

 

April 29, 2004

 

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Dear Reader,

 

Lycopene. It's the new green tea.

 

Some years ago, the healthy benefits of green tea captured

the attention of researchers and launched hundreds of

clinical trials, many of them reported in e-Alerts and HSI

Member Alerts.

 

Now we're seeing the same surge of interest in lycopene - a

remarkable antioxidant that seems to be getting more and

more attention from the research community.

 

Just last week I came across two new lycopene trials. And

although they're animal studies, there's a good chance they

provide a glimpse into the promising future of lycopene

research in two specific areas of health concern: one for

women and one for men.

 

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A quail in the hand...

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Earlier this year, I told you about an important study from

the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). Using data collected

on more than 28,000 women in the Women's Health Study,

researchers found that when the subjects were divided into

quartiles - ranging from those with the lowest lycopene

level to those with the highest - the women in the upper

three quartiles had a 50 percent reduction in the risk of

cardiovascular disease, compared with women in the lowest

quartile. This outcome confirms a 2002 study that also

demonstrated how lycopene intake may offer significant

protection against heart disease in women.

 

Now a new study from Firat University in Turkey (in

association with the University of Maryland and Detroit's

Karmanos Cancer institute) indicates that lycopene intake

may provide another preventive benefit for women.

 

The Firat researchers used Japanese quails to assess the

effects of lycopene on the development of benign tumors of

the uterus called fibroid tumors. (Although they're benign,

these tumors can cause pain, while complicating other health

problems.) The quails were used in the trial because fibroid

tumors occur naturally in this species.

 

For 10 months, half the quails received feed with lycopene

added, while half received normal feed. In the lycopene

group, half the quails received twice the amount of lycopene

as the other half. At the end of the trial period, the

lycopene group had half as many tumors as the normal-feed

group. And among the lycopene quails, those receiving the

double dose of lycopene had significantly fewer tumors than

the birds that received less of the supplement.

 

In addition, researchers report that the blood serum

concentrations of vitamins A, C and E were higher among the

lycopene quails, while homocysteine levels were lower. We'll

have to wait for further studies with human subjects to know

if all of these benefits might also hold true for you and

me. But until then, this research is very promising.

 

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And one for the men

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The other new lycopene study comes from researchers at the

Charite Hospital in Berlin, Germany. The opening statement

of their published paper reveals the health benefit that

lycopene is most well-known for: " Studies have consistently

associated high intakes of lycopene or vitamin E with a

reduced prostate cancer risk. "

 

With this study, the Berlin team set out to understand how

lycopene and vitamin E provide the prostate with protection.

For four weeks, the researchers fed laboratory rats

lycopene, vitamin E, or a combination of the two. Other rats

received feed without these supplements. At month's end,

prostate cancer cells were injected into the prostates of

the rats, prompting tumor growth in all of the rats within

two weeks.

 

Examination of the tumors revealed that both lycopene and

vitamin E accumulated in the tumor tissue and prompted a

significant reduction of cancer cells. Furthermore, using a

new technology that assesses the expression of genes in

tumors, researchers determined that lycopene and vitamin E

were able to directly inhibit the mechanisms necessary for

tumor growth.

 

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Warmth plus fat

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The best dietary source of lycopene is tomatoes. But there

are a couple of tricks that may enhance the way your body

puts lycopene to work.

 

In the e-Alert " Defensive Star of the Year " (1/14/04), I

told you about a Cornell University study that showed how

cooking tomatoes results in greater absorption of lycopene

and a higher antioxidant activity, compared to eating

tomatoes raw.

 

This is an especially important point these days, when more

and more people are avoiding high carbohydrate dishes that

are often served with tomato sauce, such as spaghetti,

lasagna, pizza, etc. A friend of mine tells me that he's

reworked a few stir-fry recipes by adding sliced tomatoes or

a cup of fresh tomato sauce toward the end of the cooking

time in order to increase his intake of tomatoes.

 

Also, in the e-Alert " Icing The Pizza " (7/30/03), I told you

about studies suggesting that eating cooked tomatoes along

with a source of fat - such as cheese or meat - may improve

lycopene absorption as well.

 

Don't like tomatoes? You can also get lycopene from

watermelon and pink grapefruit. Although cooking them with

cheese or meat doesn't sound very appealing.

 

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Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to

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... and another thing

 

If it crunches, is it natural?

 

That's what several members wrote to ask after I quoted

William Campbell Douglass, II, M.D., in the e-Alert " X Marks

the Spot " (4/15/04).

 

Dr. Douglass compared Quaker Oats ('Old Fashioned - 100%

natural') with McCann's steel-cut, Irish oatmeal (made in

Ireland). He said, " They don't even look like the same

grain! And the taste difference is remarkable - Quakers is

mushy, McCann's is crunchy. Once you go natural, you will

never turn back. "

 

A member named Gustaw was confused by the use of the

word " natural. " He writes, " My immediate reaction is for the

crunchy oats, but 'steel-cut' tells me nothing. I would not

be inclined to buy something 'mushy,' except that it is

described as 'old-fashioned 100% NATURAL.' So, which, for

heaven's sake, is supposed to be the natural good stuff? For

me, 'crunchy' and '100% natural' would/should go together. "

 

As so many products do these days, Quaker Oats throws up the

word " natural, " while not exactly addressing " nutrition, "

which is what Dr. Douglass is really talking about. You (and

Gustaw) can be certain that the Quaker Oats " Old Fashioned -

100 % natural " is not as nutritious as the McCann's. And the

steel cutting makes all the difference.

 

When the inner oat kernels are steel cut, they're divided

into only a few pieces. And that's the full extent of the

processing. Quaker Oats, on the other hand, are steamed,

then rolled, then steamed again and finally toasted. So

while they really are " 100% natural, " nutrition is lost in

the extra processing.

 

Of course, this only applies to the Quaker Oats in the

familiar cylinder-shaped box. The Quaker Oats cereal brands

known as " Honey Nut Heaven " and " Brown Sugar Bliss " are

worlds away from the truly natural source of fiber, protein,

B vitamins, iron and calcium you'll find in steel-cut oats.

 

As Dr. Douglass points out; if you start your day with

typical breakfast cereals, you'll be heading down the road

to obesity and diabetes, no matter how many times they print

the word " natural " on the box.

 

To Your Good Health,

 

Jenny Thompson

Health Sciences Institute

 

**************************************************************

To start receiving your own copy of the HSI e-Alert, visit:

http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/freecopya.html

Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to

receive their own copy of the HSI e-Alert.

 

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Sources:

" Lycopene Linked to Reduction in Fibroid Tumors - Study

Presented at Experimental Biology Meeting Shows Promise for

Women " PR Newswire, 4/19/04, lef.org

" Lycopene Could Also Fight Tumors in Women "

NutraIngredients.com, 4/20/04, nutraingredients.com

" Lycopene and Vitamin E Interfere with Autocrine/Paracrine

Loops in the Dunning Prostate Cancer Model " The Federation

of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal,

4/14/04, fasejb.org

" Lycopene May Act on Male Hormones to Fight Cancer "

NutraIngredients.com, 4/15/04, nutraingredients.com

" Plasma Lycopene, Other Carotenoids, and Retinol and the

Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women " American Society

for Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 79, No. 1, January 2004,

ajcn.org

 

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The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites without

written permission.

 

 

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