“Boring” vegetable could be a lifesaver

     People say it’s boring, that there’s nothing to it but water. But they could be wrong — scientists say this ho-hum veggie could actually hold the key to fighting off leukemia.

     After getting a bit worked up over recent news, I thought it might be best to lighten up with a little good news for a change!

     It sounds silly, but I’ve always been a fan of celery. The satisfying crunch, the clean flavor…and when I was a kid, I thought it matched up beautifully with peanut butter and raisins for the classic treat “ants on a log.”

     Of course, most people think it’s a boring vegetable. They just aren’t that impressed. Sure, they’ll throw it on a plate with some buffalo wings, but let’s be honest — it’s just there to catch the leftover blue cheese dressing.

     Now, thanks to new findings, celery might start getting the respect I’ve always thought it deserves.

     Scientists at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands recently found that eating foods like celery and parsley could help prevent leukemia.

     Thanks to a compound called apigenin, celery packs more cancer-fighting power than previously thought. Apigenin halts the development and cuts the survival chances of two kinds of leukemia cells.

     Apigenin is a bioflavonoid, and if you’re a regular reader you’ve probably heard that word before. Biolavonoids have antioxidant properties — they protect cells by fighting free radical damage. Apigenin is also found in red wine and tomato sauce.

    And leukemia is just the beginning. Researchers have also found the substance may help protect against ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

     So, the next time you’re in the produce section of your supermarket, don’t pass the celery by in search of more exciting fare — pick up a bunch and crunch away.

Source:

“Plant flavanoid may help prevent leukemia,” Reuters.com

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