8 Cancer-Fighting Herbs and Spices

Garlic

A powerful immune booster, garlic has been used throughout history for both its culinary and medicinal properties. It has been shown to lower the risk of developing all types of cancers especially colon, stomach, intestinal and prostate cancer.

Garlic has strong antibacterial properties and has the ability to block formation and halt activation of cancer causing substances. Garlic can also enhance DNA repair, slow down cancer cell reproduction and, like other spices, can induce apoptosis.

More: The Health Benefits of Garlic

Oregano

Oregano contains extremely high levels of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds. It contains the phytochemical quercetin, which is known to slow cancer growth and promote apoptosis. The ingredients that give oregano its antimicrobial properties protect against colon and prostate cancer as well as restrict the growth of malignant cancer cells in the body.

Cayenne

Cayenne comes from the chili pepper family. It's used globally as a means to flavor dishes. Its anti-cancer ingredient is capsaicin, which gives peppers their heat and is known to promote apoptosis. The hotter the chili pepper, the more capsaicin it contains.

Initial experiments in cancer cells and mice show that capsaicin causes prostate cancer cells to undergo a kind of suicide. Capsaicin caused almost 80 percent of prostate cancer cells in the mice to die. In addition, prostate cancer tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumors in untreated mice.

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