Fruits, vegetables and teas may protect smokers from lung cancer

by rpshen | May 29, 2008 at 08:47 am

3592 views | 9 Recommendations | 45 comments

UCLA researchers conducted first-ever study on the effects of fruits, vegetables and teas on lung cancer. Smokers can possibly reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by consuming three daily servings of fruits and vegetables and by drinking green or black tea.

Now before you run out to the grocery store and stock up on fruits and veggies, beware that further studies need to be conducted to confirm the results.

Tobacco smokers who eat three servings of fruits and vegetables per day and drink green or black tea may be protecting themselves from lung cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study by UCLA cancer researchers. UCLA researchers found that smokers who ingested high levels of natural chemicals called flavonoids in their diet had a lower risk of developing lung cancer, an important finding since more than 90 percent of lung cancers are caused by tobacco smoking.

“What we found was extremely interesting, that several types of flavonoids are associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer among smokers,” said Dr. Zuo-Feng Zhang, a researcher at UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center and a professor of public health and epidemiology.

Flavonoids are water-soluble plant pigments that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, both of which can counteract damage to tissues. For the UCLA study, researchers looked at 558 people with lung cancer and 837 people who did not have lung cancer and analyzed their dietary history.

Researchers found that study participants who ate foods containing certain flavonoids seemed to be protected from developing lung cancer. Zhang said the flavonoids that appeared to be the most protective included catechin, found in strawberries and green and black teas, kaempferol, found in Brussels sprouts and apples, and quercetin, found in beans, onions and apples.

Zhang said flavonoids protect against lung cancer by blocking the formation of blood vessels that tumors develop so they can grow and spread, a process called angiogenesis. They also stop cancer cells from growing, allowing for naturally programmed cell death, or apoptosis, to occur.
The antioxidant properties found in the flavonoids also may work to counteract the DNA damaging effects of tobacco smoking, Zhang said, explaining why they affected the development of lung cancer in smokers but not in non-smokers.

“The naturally occurring chemicals may be working to reduce the damage caused by smoking,” Zhang said.

“Since this study is the first of its type, I would usually be hesitant to make any recommendations to people about their diet,” Zhang said. “We really need to have several larger studies with similar results to confirm our finding. However, it’s not a bad idea for everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables and drink more tea.”

The next step, Zhang said, are laboratory-based studies of flavonoids on cell lines and animal models to determine how they are protecting smokers from developing lung cancer. And in addition to larger studies to confirm these findings, other studies need to be done to see if the protective effects of flavonoids extend to other smoking-related cancers, such as bladder, head and neck and kidney cancers.

Zhang and his team also plan to study which types of fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of the flavonoids found to be helpful in this study and what the optimal number of servings per day might be to provide the greatest protection.

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isi.

at 13:27 on May 29th, 2008

All my friends smoke and I think that many of them make this to seem cooler. I heard that ACE juice helps to fight free radicals, so is perfect for smokers.

isi. has contributed a photo to this story.

Mjuboy

at 13:28 on May 29th, 2008

Mjuboy has contributed a photo to this story.

lal _gambino

at 13:29 on May 29th, 2008

ive got cancer and i feel GRREEEAT!

lal _gambino has contributed a photo to this story.

jazebelle

at 14:06 on May 29th, 2008

good article.

n1covav1e

at 20:27 on May 29th, 2008

well, im the smoker and been planning to quit can find the strength and integrity yet, so i do believe the only consolation i could give my body is drinking teas, fruit juices and consuming fruits and vegies, with regular running in the morning.

n1covav1e has contributed a photo to this story.

SweRon

at 20:42 on May 29th, 2008

More women than men smoke in Sweden and there are signs that tobacco use by young women is increasing.

SweRon has contributed a photo to this story.

E.W. Photographs

at 20:50 on May 29th, 2008

This was a picture I took at a birthday party. This is only a Clove.

E.W. Photographs has contributed a photo to this story.

Sgt.Major

at 21:04 on May 29th, 2008

Sgt.Major has contributed a photo to this story.

_blueice_

at 21:14 on May 29th, 2008

Fresh!

_blueice_ has contributed a photo to this story.

lorispindler

at 21:15 on May 29th, 2008

Eating fruits helped me quit smoking about a year ago.

lorispindler has contributed a photo to this story.

balavenise

at 21:34 on May 29th, 2008

balavenise has contributed a photo to this story.

Rhonda J Mangus

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 21:50 on May 29th, 2008

rpshen, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Christoph Rieger

at 22:38 on May 29th, 2008

This old Quince tree I had growing in my garden in Austria ... it's rarely seen nowadays, you usually find it only around some old-style farm orchards. It's supposed to perform all kind of miracles, though ...

Christoph Rieger has contributed a photo to this story.

margaux-g

at 23:04 on May 29th, 2008

Fruits are purity.

Landice

at 23:16 on May 29th, 2008

Strawberries not only have triple vitamin C than oranges, they are very delicious and can help to reduce the risk of having cancer. We should eat more strawberries as they are good for our health.

Landice has contributed a photo to this story.

Jack denny

at 23:41 on May 29th, 2008

I catch this photo while my friend was thinking and smoking alone...

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azzayindia

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 23:45 on May 29th, 2008

rpshen, I like this story. It's good stuff.

azzayindia

at 23:47 on May 29th, 2008

Tomatoes fight the free radicals,had read somewhere

mielmiel1020

at 23:50 on May 29th, 2008

There are more and more Asian women who begin to smoke because they think smoking make them as cool as the superstar, e.g. Catherine Deneuve at some famous movie...

mielmiel1020 has contributed a photo to this story.

Miss ss

at 01:25 on May 30th, 2008

Tomato's are exceptionally good for you and the freshly grown ones in Turkey found at this market in Fethiye not only help your health but taste wonderful - sweet and juicy.

Miss ss has contributed a photo to this story.

urloth

at 02:18 on May 30th, 2008

urloth has contributed a photo to this story.

pricec3

at 03:40 on May 30th, 2008

I took this photo at a party in Cincinnati..It seems as though everyone smokes here. If this statement is true, I would be rather pleased.

chelsearaeprice has contributed a photo to this story.

TravelingRoths

at 05:02 on May 30th, 2008

From an anti-littering display at Cedarock Park, Alamance County, North Carolina, USA.

TravelingRoths has contributed a photo to this story.

emporium84

at 05:07 on May 30th, 2008

People may smoke casually for pleasure, habitually to satisfy an addiction to the nicotine present in tobacco and to the act of smoking, or in response to social pressure. In some societies, people smoke for ritualistic purposes

Golden Emporium has contributed a photo to this story.

emporium84

at 05:09 on May 30th, 2008

Golden Emporium has contributed a photo to this story.

bemboo

at 05:58 on May 30th, 2008

fresh fruits (oranges, apples, grapes and assorted berries) at the queen victoria market in melbourne

bemboo has contributed a photo to this story.

ThePigandthePeacock

at 06:31 on May 30th, 2008

The Tahitian Fruit Punch SHea Butter Soap is infused with the essential oils of orange, lemon, and lime, and has peach, papaya and passion fruit fragrances.

Shea butter is a moisturizer and emollient and is a known anti-inflammatory agent.

ThePigandthePeacock has contributed a photo to this story.

I AM ZAC

at 06:49 on May 30th, 2008

I, myself, am a smoker (hopefully not much longer) but this photo was just a random shot on a drive home with my cousin.

I AM ZAC has contributed a photo to this story.

Methik

at 07:46 on May 30th, 2008

It's not only the calming effect of smoking...
Smoking creates a special atmosphere and mood, which can be just experienced by blowing the smoke out. Nevertheless you have to compromize between lung cancer and smoking in the lenght of time...

Methik has contributed a photo to this story.