- Cancer has slowly become one of the largest killers in the United States. Changing environments, industrial chemicals, and even food additives, both in the growing process and consumption, have added to the death toll numbers. There are many chemicals out there that have slowly started to contribute to the cancer growth rates, but there are also chemicals that are starting to emerge as weapons in the fight against preventing cancer.
- Polyphenols are highly potent antioxidant chemicals found in some fruits especially apples and grapes, as well as green tea. These chemicals are important both for the antioxidant qualities in protecting healthy cells, as well as for their cancer preventative properties by not allowing cancer cells to grow as easily.
- Isothiocyanates or ITCs are phytochemicals found in many types of vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. According to preliminary research by Shivendra Singh, Ph.D. the Isothiocyanates found in these types of cruciferous vegetables have the potential to not only stop prostate cancer cells from growing, but may also cut off the blood supply to tumors by not allowing the necessary blood vessels to grow around tumor cells.
- Epigallocatechin or EGC is a chemical found in most teas produced by the Camellia sinensis plant. The most widely consumed of these teas is green, black, and oolong tea. In a combined study by Rutgers University and the Shanghai Cancer Institute, research found that the presence of EGC was synonymous with stomach and oesophageal cancer
- The chemical Epicatechin or EC, has also been shown to have cancer preventative properties. This chemical is widely found in the leaves used to make green tea. Research has shown that Epicatechin can help prevent cancer, especially regarding head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (European Journal of Cancer , Volume 42 , Issue 18 , Pages 3260 - 3266).
