Studies have found that garlic and onions can help prevent cancers of the prostate, lung and stomach. Some research has also shown they can prevent breast cancer. But you should see what Puerto Rican cooking can add to your good luck.
Puerto Rican women eat more garlic and onion than women in Europe or the US, partly because of the popularity of a dish known as sofrito—a condiment whose key ingredients are garlic and onion—but also because of the garlic in Puerto Rican stews and bean and rice dishes. Interestingly, Puerto Rican women also have lower breast cancer rates than women in the mainland US. Is that coincidence? Researchers wanted to see.
What they found is exciting. They conducted a population study that compared 314 Puerto Rican women with breast cancer with 346 Puerto Rican women who did not have breast cancer who lived in the same area. They found that the combined intake of garlic, onion and sofrito was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Moderate consumption of garlic and onions was associated with a 41% reduced risk of breast cancer while high consumption dropped the risk by 49%. When women ate sofrito more than once a day, they had a 67% decrease in their risk of breast cancer.
Adding more garlic and onion to your recipes tastes great, can do no harm, and may help you eat your way away from cancer.
Nutrition and Cancer 2019; doi:10.1080/01635581.2019.1651349
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For much more on treating and preventing breast cancer, see our book The Family Naturopathic Encyclopedia.
For more on cooking with garlic and onion for great health, see Linda’s The All New Vegetarian Passport Cookbook: a health book and cookbook all in one book!
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