Curry Cures Cancer: so they say...

[Methuselah]

Interesting one this if, like me, you enjoy a good curry: turmeric is an anti-cancer agent:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23233733

 

[SP1986]

This has been suggested for many years, it was known Turmeric has properties in fighting 'free radicals', also Cumin is beneficial too. 

[Polar Maritime]

So do people in India have a lower death rate % of cancer... 

 

Here we go from 2003 http://www.jpgmonline.com/article.asp?issn=0022-3859;year=2003;volume=49;issue=3;spage=222;epage=228;aulast=Sinha

Edited May 5, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[summer blizzard]

It's being well known for years that the chemical which makes the pepper family spicy (chili's ect..) can literally make cancer cells explode. Unfortunately we don't have a viable delivery system to target the cells and you can't just keep injecting them directly.

 

 

 

So do people in India have a lower death rate % of cancer... 

 

Here we go from 2003 http://www.jpgmonline.com/article.asp?issn=0022-3859;year=2003;volume=49;issue=3;spage=222;epage=228;aulast=Sinha

 

India has the highest proportion of vegetarians in the world, its not suprising that parts of India could be extremely healthy.

[jethro]

Apparently Turmeric is quite amazing stuff for all sorts of things. The anti-inflammatory meds I take for my arthritic spine are Turmeric based. Shame I hate curry and smoke too, guess I'm doomed! 

[laserguy]

I live on curry and live for curry. Matter of fact I've had a break from cooking them today, and just had a cracking vindaloo delivered to my door. I get thru' literally dozens of jars of turmeric/ curcumin or whatever you want to call it, every year. Will  I Iive forever?

Edited May 5, 2013 by laserguy

[UV-RAY]

The flip side of this could be that too much causes heart disease as this is one of the biggest killers in the Asian community, food for thought.

[laserguy]

The flip side of this could be that too much causes heart disease as this is one of the biggest killers in the Asian community, food for thought.

 

Is that right?? Could explain my currently high blood pressure and astronomical pulse rate. Shucks....

[summer blizzard]

The flip side of this could be that too much causes heart disease as this is one of the biggest killers in the Asian community, food for thought.

 

I always thought a lot of the stuff you put in would nullify a lot of the bad effects.

 

....

 

With that said, it's pretty much proven that the healthiest possible diet is 90% vegetarian.

[Methuselah]

I'll agree that a balanced diet is the healthiest option available; if we were meant to thrive on a strict vegetarian diet, our appendix wouldn't have atrophied the way it has...Then again, a 100% carnivorous diet would also be a disaster...We do, in the West, eat far too much meat for our own good: ten percent only seems a tad on the low side, however?

 

And, as they say: if God hadn't meant us to eat meat, He wouldn't have made it taste so good? 

[laserguy]

Then again, a 100% carnivorous diet would also be a disaster...

 

A mate of mine won't eat anything if it didn't have a face when it was alive. He's as strong as a bull and fit as a fiddle..... for how much longer is anyone's guess.

[summer blizzard]

I'll agree that a balanced diet is the healthiest option available; if we were meant to thrive on a strict vegetarian diet, our appendix wouldn't have atrophied the way it has...Then again, a 100% carnivorous diet would also be a disaster...We do, in the West, eat far too much meat for our own good: ten percent only seems a tad on the low side, however?

 

And, as they say: if God hadn't meant us to eat meat, He wouldn't have made it taste so good? 

 

It sounds low but even with our current poor diets the average person actually gets too much protein.

 

Only two things are wrong with vegetables...

 

1) Incomplete proteins mean that you need to eat at least two types as opposed to one slab of meat

 

2) B12 comes from the soil but as we steralize our food now you have to get this from dairy at the minimum

 

Every other vitamin and mineral can be got with vegetables, meat was simply an advantage when we were unable to import vegetables from around the world.

[Methuselah]

It sounds low but even with our current poor diets the average person actually gets too much protein.

 

Only two things are wrong with vegetables...

 

1) Incomplete proteins mean that you need to eat at least two types as opposed to one slab of meat

 

2) B12 comes from the soil but as we steralize our food now you have to get this from dairy at the minimum

 

Every other vitamin and mineral can be got with vegetables, meat was simply an advantage when we were unable to import vegetables from around the world.

But the human appendix withered away long before imports/exports were even thought of...It's even been suggested that our body's could never have evolved such enormous brain-capacity, had it not been for our ancestors incorporating flesh into their diets?

[Tamara]

If you are using lots of fresh unprocessed whole spices, ginger and garlic, using a rapeseed type of non cholesterol oil rather than ghee, substituting lower fat yoghurts instead of full fat creams then heart disease risks should be eradicated rather than increased. On that basis a curry is indeed very good for you. The problem is that westernised curries are not made this way, most especially the restaurants and takeways as well as the ready made ones in supermarkets which are loaded to the gills with salt as well which is a prime cause of high blood pressure.

 

Made traditionally a lot of the familiar and popular curries in Britain are almost unrecogisable from the usual sludge fest that is eaten here instead 

 

And it is possible to make very tasty naan breads, chapattis, and poppadums as well whilst keeping them health friendly. Wheat and gluten are also often additional allergy problems for people here too as well as the salt and other additives put in them to make them last longer.

 

As far as Cancer is concerned, then like most diseases any food that is made naturally and is not processed is going to be much better for you in this respect. And many of the whole spices as well as garlic have known anti carcinogenic properties in them. Turmeric being a very good example - but again especially fresh turmeric if you can find it beyond the usual dried variety.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Tamara Road

[UV-RAY]

Indeed Tamara, I enjoy and take great pride in cooking curries utilising only the freshest ingredients, sounds like a bleeding advert.

[Tamara]

Indeed Tamara, I enjoy and take great pride in cooking curries utilising only the freshest ingredients, sounds like a bleeding advert.

 Why not though!

 

The thing is, a lot of people are put off making them because of the long lists of ingredients and patience and time required to make them. However they can be made in bulk just like the natives, as we know, do and can be successfully re-heated afterwards to cater for more than just one meal if they are kept safely in the right conditions. Other than economy, the flavours improve too with time and there is a lot to be said for making them in advance and eating them a day or so later

Edited May 6, 2013 by Tamara Road

[summer blizzard]

But the human appendix withered away long before imports/exports were even thought of...It's even been suggested that our body's could never have evolved such enormous brain-capacity, had it not been for our ancestors incorporating flesh into their diets?

 

Yes because at the time we were limited in what we could eat by area and so we had to incorporate meat in order to power our development. Nowadays however we know that Iron is important to brain capacity but as it turns out we can get that from vegetables. 

[Tamara]

Apparently Turmeric is quite amazing stuff for all sorts of things. The anti-inflammatory meds I take for my arthritic spine are Turmeric based. Shame I hate curry and smoke too, guess I'm doomed! 

You can use and consume turmeric in a variety of other ways besides curries. It can be readily used f.e to give a further twist to Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes and used instead of, or in conjunction with the usual saffron which is more expensive. The simple quintessential British and much loved roast potato could have f.e a turmeric and paprika glaze to add extra colour and slightly different flavour to a seasoned roast dinner. It can be added to any number of casseroles, stews and nutritious soups. Various things that do not resemble a curry at all

[nitro_deluxe]

The flip side of this could be that too much causes heart disease as this is one of the biggest killers in the Asian community, food for thought.

More often than not linked to oils or ghee frequently used for cooking - too much clarified butter isn't going to help, neither are a vast range of deep fried sweets, snacks and other savoury products.No battered mars bars as far as I can see..

Have previously heard about the link re turmeric - then there's chilli, garlic, ginger, onion, tomatoes/puree, other veg and pulses - that can all have health promoting qualities.

Standby the tummies rumbling