Veggies, Cancer and Epigenetics

The often quoted phrase "Your mother is right; eat your veggies!" has the backing of a biologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The article recently published in the journal, Clinical Epigenetics, discusses research in this field that has coined a new lifestyle concept calle the Epigenetics Diet. 


Worldwide research in this field is proving the benefit of eating vegetables, particularly the cruciferous vegetables, for reducing risks for debilitating diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. Consider the following food options cited in this research summary:

Epigenetics is the study of the changes in human gene expressions with time, changes that can cause cancer and Alzheimer’s, among other diseases. In recent years, epigenetics research worldwide, including numerous studies conducted at UAB, have identified specific food compounds that inhibit negative epigenetic effects. 

Those foods include soybeans, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Green tea, fava beans, kale, grapes and the spice turmeric round out the diet. 

“The epigenetics diet can be adopted easily, because the concentrations of the compounds needed for a positive effect are readily achievable,” says lead author Syed Meeran, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in Tollefsbol’s UAB Department of Biology laboratory. 

For example, Meeran says sipping tea compounds called polyphenols in daily amounts that are equivalent to approximately three cups of green tea has been shown to reverse breast cancer in laboratory mice by suppressing the gene that triggers the disease. Similarly, a daily cup of broccoli sprouts, which has sulforaphane as an active compound, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing many cancers. 

“Our review article has drawn everything together from global studies, and the common theme is that compounds in the epigenetics diet foods can, at the very least, help us lead healthier lives and help our bodies prevent potentially debilitating diseases like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s,” Tollefsbol says.

More about this research can be found in an article published at UPI.com : Diet to Prevent Cancer, Alzheimer's