Okra has already become a well-known superfood
against diabetes but few people know that it also fights at least three
different types of cancer. The research on okra for cancer is still very young,
but researchers have observed in lab studies that it potently inhibits highly
metastatic mouse melanoma cells and kills human breast cancer cells outright,
while one fascinating population study has revealed that men eating okra as
part of a Southern eating pattern experienced 40% less prostate cancer.
Okra kills 72% of human breast cancer cells in vitro
A newly discovered lectin in common okra
(Abelmoschus esculentus) was shown to kill up to 72% of human breast cancer
cells (MCF7) in vitro, mostly by inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis).
The okra lectin was also shown to slow the growth of the breast cancer cells by
63%. Note that the lectin is found in okra seeds, and researchers in this study
obtained their lectin by water extraction from okra seed meal. This anti-cancer
lectin was only discovered in 2012, and interestingly, also possesses anti-inflammatory
and anti-nociceptive (pain relieving) properties which makes it a very
interesting compound for future research. The researchers in this study noted
that the lectin compound is a “potential therapeutic to combat human breast
cancer.” But don’t scrape out the seeds and throw away the rest of the pod,
because another component of okra also has demonstrated anti-cancer properties,
namely the pectin.
Okra pectin inhibits 75% of highly metastatic
melanoma cells in vitro
Okra pectin is found just under the skin of the
pods, and scientists have discovered it contains very unique compounds (highly
branched rhamnogalacturonans) which have never before been observed in other
pectins. Perhaps it is the newly discovered compounds that are responsible for
the effectiveness of the pectin against melanoma. In a recent study conducted
by French and Dutch researchers, the pectin inhibited the proliferation of
highly metastatic mouse melanoma cells (B16F10) by 75% after 48 hours of
treatment and also increased the rate of programmed cell death (apoptosis) by
nearly 23-fold. The researchers also discovered that the pectin triggered
apoptosis by interacting with Galectin-3. This is a similar mechanism to what
is observed with the well-known compound Modified Citrus Pectin, and it is very
interesting that okra pectin does not have to be modified in any way to have
this effect.
Men who eat okra (Southern diet) have 40% less
prostate cancer
The two studies above show clearly that two
different components of okra (pectin and lectin) have potent anticancer
properties, therefore as usual, we are probably better off consuming the entire
edible portion of okra if we want to maximize its anti-cancer benefits. Have
any actual benefits been observed in human populations? Yes. A recent cohort
study carried out in the United States found that men eating a Southern dietary
pattern (characterized by eating okra, grits, cornbread, beans, rice and sweet
potatoes) experienced 40% less prostate cancer than those not eating such a
diet. Although the result bordered on statistical significance, this was a
fair-sized study which followed nearly 3,800 men for ten years. What is truly
fascinating about this study is that, apart from okra, beans and sweet
potatoes, the Southern eating pattern was actually not a very healthy diet, and
contained high portions of red meat and bacon which are both known to increase
cancer risk. Moreover, the Southern eating pattern protected men from prostate
cancer much more than a vegetable and fruit rich diet did, even though it
contained 24% less fruit and vegetables (29 servings weekly on the Southern
diet vs. 38 servings weekly on the fruit & vegetable rich diet).
Was okra the key anti-cancer factor in the Southern
eating pattern? Only future research will tell.
In the meantime, okra is a healthy food which is already widely consumed
around the world. It may help in treating diabetes, and now latest research
tells us it may give protection from at least three different cancers. Okra may
therefore be a very important part of a well-balanced healthy diet, which
should already contain a wide variety of vegetables - and plenty of them.
Culled from www.edenprescription.com
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