Mesothelioma and Cruciferous Vegetables
Whenever possible and as approved by a physician, a mesothelioma patient's diet should include cruciferous vegetables such as:
- broccoli
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- mustard greens
- collard greens
- Brussels sprouts
- watercress
- bok choy
- kale
- radish
- daikon (a kind of radish)
- wasabi
- kohlrabi
- parsnips
- rutabaga
- turnips
"Cross-bearing" Cruciferous Vegetables
The term "cruciferous" is derived from the name for a plant family, "Cruciferae," a Latin word that translates loosely to "cross-bearing." The flowers of the hundreds of vegetables and food plants in the Cruciferae family often have four petals that are in the shape of a cross (not unlike a crucifix). The family of cruciferous vegetables is also known as "Brassica."
Mesothelioma Cancer Fighting Properties
In the fight against cancer — including mesothelioma cancer — cruciferous vegetables offer a number of excellent nutritional properties, such as:
- antioxidants: these can destroy the free radicals that cause cell damage such as the damage involved in cancer
- phytochemicals: these can prevent DNA damage and boost enzymes that clean away carcinogens
- glucosinates: found at high levels in cruciferous vegetables, they slow the growth of cancer cells, in part by preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed the cells
Getting More Cruciferous Vegetables in a Mesothelioma Diet
An individual diagnosed with or undergoing treatment for mesothelioma needs all the nutritional help possible, to keep up the immune system, strength and energy levels. Cruciferous vegetables are not necessarily a patient's first choice for food, but a mesothelioma patient's caregiver can ease these vegetables into the diet by:
- stir-frying them with other foods
- sautéing them and adding them to an omelet
- serving them raw, with a vegetable dip
- adding sautéed, chopped kale leaves or mashed cooked turnips to mashed potatoes
For more information about mesothelioma food and diet, contact Mesothelioma Treatment Centers today.
