Turnips and turnip greens are recommended for breast cancer

Turnips (Brassica rapa L.), a type of cruciferous vegetable, are a dietary source of vitamin C, calcium, iron and copper, as well as potassium and magnesium. Turnip greens are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, folate, vitamin B6, beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as manganese, calcium, and copper. Turnip greens also contain meaningful levels of riboflavin, potassium, magnesium and iron. Turnip greens contain kaempferol, β-phenylethyl isothiocyanate and various other isothiocyanates, and some sulforaphane, all of which have been reported to have anti-cancer properties. Turnips and turnip greens have been shown to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Turnip consumption has been found to be associated with reduced risks of esophageal, lung, gastric, bladder, colorectal and prostate cancer. Turnip green consumption has been found to be associated with reduced risks of gastric, bladder, and prostate cancer.

Breast cancer-related effects of eating turnips and turnip greens

Various isothiocyanates derived from turnips or turnip greens have been found to have chemopreventive activity against a variety of breast cancer cell lines in the laboratory. A Chinese study which measured urinary isothiocyanate levels as a marker of brassica vegetable intake found that higher levels were protective against breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Turnip consumption has been found to be associated with lower risk of breast cancer in U.S., Chinese, Japanese, and Korean women.

Additional comments

Cruciferous vegetables contain thioglucoside compounds that can interfere with the formation of thyroid hormone.

Tags: betaCarotene, calcium, carotenoids, copper, folate, iodine, iron, isothiocyanates, kaempferol, sulforaphane, thyroid, turnip greens, turnips, vitaminA, vitaminC, vitaminE

Selected breast cancer studies
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Cruciferous vegetables and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies The Safety of Cruciferous Plants in Humans: A Systematic Review Kaempferol protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo and in vitro Vegetable intake is associated with reduced breast cancer recurrence in tamoxifen users: a secondary analysis from the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study Greater vegetable and fruit intake is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer among Chinese women Arsenic speciation in turnip as affected by application of chicken manure bearing roxarsone and its metabolites Glucosinolates in Brassica vegetables: The influence of the food supply chain on intake, bioavailability and human health Cruciferous vegetables, the GSTP1 Ile105Val genetic polymorphism, and breast cancer risk In vitro binding of bile acids by okra, beets, asparagus, eggplant, turnips, green beans, carrots, and cauliflower Intake of fruits, vegetables and selected micronutrients in relation to the risk of breast cancer