Israeli scientists explain how tomatoes prevent cancer

Scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have identified why it is good for us to consume large quantities of tomatoes - and say that the best way to eat them is cooked up with some olive oil and cheese.

Scientists have long believed that the carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables have a cancer preventive effect. In particular, studies have found that as the consumption of tomato products increases, risk of certain types of cancer decreases - even more so than when a variety of vegetables are eaten. Over the years, studies have found that the risk of up to ten different types of cancer can be reduced by eating tomatoes. The preventative effect is due to the lycopen, the phytonutrient which gives tomatoes their red color.

What has been a relative mystery until now is precisely why this happens. But the BGU scientists are well on the way to discovering the precise mechanism that would explain this relationship between tomato consumption and cancer prevention.

In a study published in the January 2005 issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Dr. Yoav Sharoni and Dr. Joseph Levy discuss how carotenoids, well known for their antioxidant activity, also act to prevent cancer by stimulating the body's antioxidant response element. Lycocenes, which comes from lycopen, is a member of the carotenoid family.

They also did some good research with ADULT STEM CELLS helping a SPINAL CORD VICTIM

In 2000, Israeli scientists implanted Melissa Holley's white blood cells into her spinal cord to treat the paraplegia caused when her spinal cord was severed in an auto accident. Melissa, who is 18, has since regained control over her bladder and recovered significant motor function in her limbs - she can now move her legs and toes, although she cannot yet walk.

This is exactly the kind of therapy that embryonic-stem-cell proponents promise - years down the road. Yet Melissa's breakthrough was met with collective yawns in the press with the exception of Canada's The Globe and Mail. Non-embryonic stem cells may be as common as beach sand.

and for dessert, blood oranges (not because of cancer prevention though, they're just good):

Food Reference Website - Trivia Section
Blood Orange
James T. Ehler
http://www.foodreference.com/html/fbloodorange.html
The blood orange, with it's sweet, deep red colored flesh, was most likely the result of a mutation that occured in 17th century Sicily. In most varieties of blood orange even the pulp and skin are slightly sweet, and not bitter.

http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Citrus/b1239tx.html
Blood oranges are supposed to have a dark rose pulp, but this can be modified by climate. In Southern California, the typical pulp color occurs when blood oranges are raised in desert areas, e.g., in the Coachella Valley, but homeowners who grow blood oranges in coastal Orange and Los Angeles County are disappointed to discover that the pulp is orange, not red.

http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art90.htm
Sicilian Blood Oranges
by Roberta Gangi
It's difficult to know just when oranges were introduced into what is now Italy. From their travels to the southern and eastern reaches of their Empire, the Romans knew of them, and oranges are occasionally depicted in Roman art. However, it is generally accepted as fact that citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, citron) were first cultivated in Sicily during the Arab period. In other words, the ninth and tenth centuries. Indeed, the modern English word orange, like the Italian arancia, probably derives from the Arabic naranj. Oranges are native to tropical Asia, particularly the Malay region. Any reddish fruit in the genus citrus and the family rutaceae, specifically citrus arantium, is an orange... the blood orange is considered particularly Sicilian, perhaps because it is not as widely cultivated in Calabria, Spain or Greece.

http://gourmetsleuth.com/bloodoranges.htm

Blood Oranges - Blood oranges are juicy, sweet and have a dark red interior and are slightly less acidic than regular table oranges . Originally from Sicily the blood orange has gained in popularity in the US and can be found fresh or in juice form in many grocery stores... Blood oranges contain a pigment called anthocyanin which is not typically found in citrus but rather more common in other red fruits and flowers. Not only is the inside of the orange darkly pigmented but depending on the variety the outside may also have dark washes of red. The three main blood orange varieties are Tarocco, the Moro and the Sanguigno. The Moro is being grown in San Diego, California. Blood oranges are great for juicing and using as you would common orange juice. The dark red color of the juice makes it a good cocktail ingredient. Use fresh blood orange segments in salads, sauces, sorbets, granitas and compotes... Blood oranges are still most abundant in Italy and Spain. They have become more popular in the U.S. and they are being grown in California and Texas.

A ruby glow in winter
By Susan LaTempa, Times Staff Writer
February 2, 2005
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-bloodorange2feb02,0,2496361.story?coll=la-home-food
...Blood oranges, which are thought to have originated in Sicily, are best cultivated in areas where there's a contrast between day and nighttime temperatures -- Italy, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and, more recently, California. They're less acidic than other kinds of oranges, with a pronounced sweetness, even in the skin. You'll detect berrylike notes in the flavor. [article includes a marmalade recipe]

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