Expert
touts disease-prevention benefits of Indian spices
Some of the spices most
commonly used in Indian cuisine contain properties that help prevent diseases
such as cancer, an expert told Efe.
Dr. Lalit Kumar, a
professor at this capital's All India Institute of Medical Sciences' Department
of Medical Oncology, told Efe that curcumin, a spice that lends curry its
yellowish color, "is used to prevent various types of diseases"
including cancer, arthritis and diabetes.
Curcumin, derived from a
plant that is native to the tropical southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu,
also is used "as an adjuvant in chemotherapy, especially in breast, colon,
head and neck cancer and in leukemia," the expert said.
Some components of
curcumin are clinically shown to prevent the formation of prostate, skin and
pancreas cancer cells and brain tumors.
Kumar adds that other
spices, such as cumin seeds, are primarily used to cure gastrointestinal
problems.
Cumin contains
antioxidants that help prevent prostate and other cancers, while cinnamon,
which is native to neighboring Sri Lanka and also used in curry, has a
flavonoid that helps reduce the risk of tumors, and oregano is equally
beneficial in preventing cancer.
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