The vegetarian cancer gene and Turmeric golden tofu

Okay, so if you have the internet, chances are you saw an article that has been all over the place which claims that a population of vegetarians in India are more prone to cancer than their meat eating counter parts. Now the story goes something like this:

A group of Indian vegetarians have a specific gene that alters the digestion of plant fats to produce arachidonic acid, and this acid can then be a risk factor in both heart disease and prostate cancer. The article also claims that generations of vegetarian eating caused this gene to be expressed this way.

Based off this, the reporter says that a vegetarian diet may change your genes and make you more susceptible to heart disease and canc… wow that is such a ridiculous statement it is not even worth typing.  The author also says that vegetarians suffer colorectal cancer as much as 40 times more than meat eaters. (Ugh)

It is apparently easy to publish absolute rubbish. I now understand why Dr. Garth Davis hates nutrition reporters and nutrition bloggers so much…

First lets simply address the fact that the study is looking at genomes not diets.

Next up, the idea that just because they are a predominantly vegetarian population, doesn't mean they are healthy eaters. Diets from this area are typically heavy in added oils and butters or ghee, dairy and on top of this, the dishes also often included fried foods. If the issue was diet related, chances are it has more to do with these items than with the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The claim that meat eaters have less colorectal cancer is also outrageously ridiculous. The author bases this claim off one study, which was later found to be incorrect when the data was revisited. Furthermore, not only have I previously outlined how TMAO is formed after consuming meat and dairy which increases the risk of heart disease, but the links between meat consumption and cancer are so strong that according to an article reviewed by Dr. Greger of Nutrionfacts.org the meat industry is studying the possibility of adding ingredients to meat which may help reduce the inherent cancer risks of consuming it.

Perhaps most ironic part of all this is that chicken and eggs are the two greatest sources of arachidonic acid according to the Institute of Medicines’ Dietary Reference Intakes list.

Finally, if you actually look at the study rather than the health reporters take on the study, it suggests that the massive doses of Omega-6 found in oils are most-likely the biggest part of the problem for the people with this particular genotype, but of course, we already knew oil isn’t healthy…   As Dr. Tom Brenna, one of the authors of the study said, “to say it is a vegetarian gene is quite a stretch…”

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Turmeric Gold Tofu

Okay so if you are still worried about having some bizarre gene that could increase your risk of cancer, here is a great dish that can offer some comfort. We know that turmeric has several antioxidants that can offer some buffering protection, so give this deliciously golden tofu a try. 

Since we are heading into fall here in BA, we served the tofu with massaged kale, spaghetti squash (seeds which we brought from the US and planted at her families farm) and cardamom spiced rice. However, this tofu would also be fantastic on a large dark-green salad or even as a sandwich.

Let me know what you all think.

Turmeric Gold Tofu

1 package Firm Tofu – Cubed

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2/3 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

Put all of the spices together along with the mustard, the vinegar, and the soy sauce and mix well. Once well mixed, pour on top of the tofu and toss until the tofu is evenly coated.

Now put the tofu and all of the remaining dressing into a pan over medium-low heat and cover. Let cook for about 5-8 minutes and then stir the tofu. The sauce should start to simmer. Repeat this until the tofu is golden brown - roughly 15 minutes - and then serve hot or cold.

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

Red Lentil and Spinach Dal

It is pretty hard to believe that it has taken me over a year to post a recipe with lentils in it. I suppose it is because I eat a lentil salad almost every day, I don’t feel it is worthy of blogging - to me they are just a fact of life. However, today’s recipe is truly worth sharing. Last night I came home from work in the mood for Indian food, about 45 minutes later I was sitting down to a beautiful and delicious meal.

Out of the three most common types of lentils (Green, French, and Red) found in the standard American grocery store, red lentils have the highest antioxidant count, making it the healthiest of the three and king of the beans. On top of that, these little red legumes cook much fast than the other types making it perfect for throwing together a quick meal after work. Besides having the incredibly healthy benefits of a meal of greens and beans, the spice combination in this recipe delivers powerful anti-inflammation properties as well as boosting the overall antioxidant count, making this meal a real powerhouse! Finally, just to prove that healthy cooking isn’t difficult, this recipe only uses one large pot, so clean up is a breeze!

 

Makes 3-4 servings:

4 cups water or vegetable broth

2 cups red lentils

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 cup kale, chopped

1/2 cup fresh spinach, chiffonade

1/2 red onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 inch piece of peeled garlic, diced

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masla

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper*

Under the faucet, rinse the lentils well under warm water until the water runs clean. This is important to do because it not only cleans the lentils of any debris, but also will help to increase the nutritional absorption while cutting down on the amount of gas they may cause. 

After the lentils are thoroughly rinsed, transfer them into a large pot with the water and bring to a boil. Let the lentils boil for about 25 minutes. If foam starts to collect on the top of the water, simply scrape it off with a spoon.  When the water is mostly absorbed, add the rice, red onion, kale (I actually used frozen mixed greens) and the spices to the lentils and turn the heat down to a simmer. 

Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the greens are soft and the spices are well absorbed.

Put the chiffonade spinach into a bowl, and then spoon your dal on top, letting the spinach wilt slightly. I served mine with two whole wheat crackers, but sprouted bread would also be delightful.

 

 

(An Instagram pic just for fun )

*Be sure to include black pepper whenever you are cooking with turmeric or curry as it helps the body metabolize them.