Eating pizza 'cuts cancer risk'

BBC ^ | 6/12/06 | staff

[pissant]

Italian researchers say eating pizza could protect against cancer. Researchers claim eating pizza regularly reduced the risk of developing oesophageal cancer by 59%.

The risk of developing colon cancer also fell by 26% and mouth cancer by 34%, they claimed.

The secret could be lycopene, an antioxidant chemical in tomatoes, which is thought to offer some protection against cancer, and which gives the fruit its traditional red colour.

But some experts cast doubt on the idea that pizza consumption was the explanation for why some people did not develop cancer.

They said other foods or dietary habits could play a part.

Lifestyle

The researchers looked at 3,300 people who had developed cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, throat or colon and 5,000 people who had not developed cancer.

They were asked about their eating habits, and how often they ate pizza.

Those who ate pizza at least once a week had less chance of developing cancer, they found.

Dr Silvano Gallus, of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmaceutical Research in Milan, who led the research: "We knew that tomato sauce could offer protection against certain tumours, but we did not expect pizza as a complete meal also to offer such protective powers."

Nicola O'Connor, of Cancer Research UK, told BBC News Online: "This study is interesting and the results should probably be looked at in the context of what we already know about the Mediterranean diet and it's association with a lower risk of certain types of cancer.

"But before people start dialling the pizza takeaway, they should consider that pizza can be high in saturated fat, salt and calories.

"In contrast to the classic Italian pizza, UK varieties are often loaded with high fat cheeses and fatty meats, a high intake of which can contribute to obesity, itself a risk factor for cancer.

"Our advice is to enjoy pizza in moderation as part of a balanced diet that includes plenty of vegetables and fruit."

Mediterranean diet

And Carlo La Vecchia, a Milan-based epidemiologist said pizza-lovers should not see the research as a licence to indulge their fondness for the food.

"There is nothing to indicate that pizza is the only thing responsible for these results."

He told AFP news agency: "Pizza could simply be indicative of a lifestyle and food habits, in other words the Italian version of a Mediterranean diet."

A Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil, fibre, vegetables, fruit, flour and freshly cooked food - including non-frozen, home-made pizza.

[Victoria Delsoul]

I bet it increases your chances of having a heart attack due to cholesterol problems, hehe.

[Tribune7]

Pizza and beer fight cancer. Yeah baby!!!

[EveningStar]

I bet it does too. That's why you need to drink red wine with your pizza. :)

[Victoria Delsoul]

Ooooh OK, sounds good to me. :-D

[Vicki]

Cool. I highly recommend Spiros in Gig Harbor, and for delivery, Pizza Time blows Dominos/Pizza Hut etc out of the water.

Thanks for the tips. I am always looking for new places to try. Recently tried out Trackside Pizza in Puyallup. Good pizza but very very expensive. Could have had dinner at at the Outback for the same price.

Recently tried Fellini's up on 6th Ave. in Tacoma. It was good. Aversanos in Sumner makes a pretty mean pizza. I think one of the best pizzas ever was the "The Edge" from Pizza Hut. Super thin crust and it had some special seasoning on it that was out of this world. Of course they stopped making it.

As for frozen, I love California Kitchen's pizzas. Well as you can see I could go and on about pizza. Good thread.

[JRios1968]

No one's mentioned hot dogs yet...

Can you believe this guy is 97?

[Atlas Sneezed]

My serious home made pizza recipe:

Make a patch of bread-maker dough the day before (buy a machine for $39.) Put it in the fridge to rest overnight (oil the bowl, cover with Saran Wrap.)

Next day. Put pizza stone in oven (if you aren't willing to buy this, you deserve a lifetime of bad pizza). Preheat oven to HIGHEST (not broil) setting. 500-550F.

Make sauce. Take a large (28 oz) can of stewed tomatoes, and simmer until it is tomato paste (break up the pieces and smash them in the pot) You can add you seasonings, especially oregano. Prepare meat, veg. Slice onions and peppers thinly. Grate cheese.

Stretch out dough on a a wood peel (paddle) that has beet generously dusted with cornmeal. The grains should act like ball bearings that allow the dough to slide as you shuffle the paddle.

Make pizza. State with sauce to edges, then meat (pre-cooked), then cheese, then veg. (If you are not too heavy with cheese, it can go last, or half under veg, half over.) Drizzle with a little olive oil (important, this makes cheese brown and sizzle.

Shake to make sure it isn't stuck to peel. (Apply corn meal to trouble spots)

Slide onto stone in over. Check at 8 minutes, finished about 10 minutes. The crust will get nice and brown on the edges, and the bottom will be crisp. Check if one edge is getting browner, and rotate 180 degrees if so.

Place on cutting board, and cut the first "round" of slices. remove the hot stone from oven, place on stove top. Put uncut remainder on stone to stay crisp or get crisper (unless the bottom is as brown as you like it.) After finishing the fist round, slide remainder onto cutting board and slice up.

Simple!

[MikefromOhio]

That's a guy????

[JRios1968]

He might be a soccer fan, I am not sure...

[EveningStar]

You're bad. :D

[JRios1968]

[JRios1968]

But you die happy!