Next time you have the opportunity to eat Indian food, consider ordering curried vegetables. Turmeric, the herb that gives curry powder its yellow hue, is used to treat many conditions including skin ailments, digestive disorders, and liver problems. The Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) communities have turned to turmeric for ages, but western scientists are just beginning to tune in to the power of this plant.

Turmeric and its active ingredient, curcumin, have been doing well on their own, but recent research — published in the January 15 issue of Cancer Research — has found that the herb may have the ability to treat and even prevent prostate cancer when combined with a certain group of vegetables. When the curcumin found in turmeric partners with phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a substance that occurs naturally in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, and cabbage, the cancer-fighting properties are at their highest.

The hope that a common Indian entree could help beat prostate cancer is incredible news. Prostate cancer is the second most deadly cancer for men in the U.S. Advanced prostate cancer cells are so determined that even high does of chemotherapy and radiation can not deter them.

The scientists behind the turmeric and PEITC study also note that while prostate cancer may be a significant worry for American men, it barely affects Indian men.

[via EurekAlert]

Image: betterhealth.vic.gov.au