Add one more reason for women to spice up their diet: New research shows that compounds in turmeric and black pepper stop the growth of stem cells that often trigger breast cancer.
Stem cells play a role in many types of cancer, believed to mutate and fuel tumors. But researchers say limiting stem cell growth in the breast is crucial, especially in middle and older age. Although stem cells help maintain proper function in many organs—largely by replacing other cells that naturally die off—“in the breast, normal cells don’t turn over as much, and stem cells are necessary only during puberty to form breast tissue and during lactation,” explains Madhuri Kakarala, M.D., of the University of Michigan.
Her study, published online in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment in November, found that when a compound of the two spices was applied to breast cell cultures, it decreased the number of stem cells without affecting normal cells.
Past studies have shown cancer-preventing properties in turmeric, which gives curry its yellow-orange color. But Kakarala’s study finds that piperine, which is in black pepper, enhances turmeric’s power.
Supplements with these spices are available, but they only enter your system properly when eaten as part of your natural diet, Kakarala says.
“As a preventive measure against cancer, eat these spices regularly—in amounts to enhance but not overpower the flavor of food,” advises Bharat B. Aggarwal of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He calls Kakarala’s study “impressive and exciting,” noting that in India and other countries where curry is frequently consumed, rates of several types of cancer—including breast cancer—are about 10 times lower than in the United States. “But as women move from India to here, we see an increase in their rates of breast, colon and other cancers because they adopt a Western diet.”
By: Sid Kirchheimer | Source: AARP Bulletin Today
