# "Could cutting asparagus from your diet stop the spread of cancer?"



## Cooking Goddess (Feb 9, 2018)

Himself is not a fan of asparagus, so he was happy to see this headline.  However, when you read the entire article, it seems like most foods would be eliminated from one's diet to stay safe. Per the article:

Cancer spread more when the mice were given asparagine-rich foods, which include dairy, beef, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and whole grains, among others. Fruits and vegetables contain low levels of asparagine.

So, pork and veggies not named "asparagus" are OK?  I'll keep taking my chances and wait for more tests on more mice. It looks like this was just one study. They didn't even mention how long it was conducted and how many mice were tested.


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## caseydog (Feb 9, 2018)

I have had cancer, and I'm not going to stop eating asparagus, beef, dairy, eggs or nuts. I do wear protective gloves when handling chemicals, and buy low VOC paints and carpets. I look at it from a "risk analysis" point of view. What can I *reasonably* do to reduce my chances of getting cancer again. Well, putting on some protective gloves and wearing a mask while spraying my yard for weeds or fleas is reasonable. Avoiding heavily processed foods full of chemicals is also reasonable. Cutting out two-thirds of the foods that I cook and eat is NOT reasonable. 

I sometimes think that people who have NOT had cancer worry more than people that have had cancer. That's from my own experience, and from talking to other cancer "survivors." 

While we are on this topic, I'm going to plug an organization started by one of my high school classmates, who lost her mother and little sister to cancer. Wendy also lived up the street from me, and her little sister was also an adopted little sister to me. Her passing was a real punch in the gut. 

The Yellow Tractor Project

CD


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## CakePoet (Feb 9, 2018)

I wish people understood that cancer is not  one disease, it many under one name and there is ton of different reason why  it happens,  yes even dinosaurs had it.
I have had two health nuts, eating too much vitamin C just to avoid cancer and yoga and becoming one with their navel. One got bladder cancer and the other one has kidney cancer. I have had  friend who  drank , smoked and lived their life to the fullest and they gotten cancer too.  The only thing I notice is the ones  who had  fun and loving life are more happy when the end comes.  
I will not cut out any thing, I will try to avoid to get sun burnt since we are pale skinned in my family and there is a few cases of skin cancer in the family line.


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## GotGarlic (Feb 9, 2018)

Yeesh, that's not a leading headline at all, is it? [emoji38]

Weasel words to watch for 

"an amino acid researchers *suggest* is *associated* with spreading cancer."

"He said *should the same finding be made in humans*, curbing asparagine intake *could assist* with cancer treatment, and not just in breast cancer."

There might be an association - different from a cause - and the same possible effect has not been shown in humans. So, interesting if you like to follow research but not an excuse not to eat asparagus. Sorry, Himself


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## LPBeier (Feb 9, 2018)

Asparagus is one of the few foods I have left to enjoy! 

I just came through a cancer scare but I will take my chances. I don't eat beef, dairy or eggs so I think I am good! I am not giving up nuts either!


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## buckytom (Feb 9, 2018)

Ya gotta die from something. Might as well be asparagrass.


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## Steve Kroll (Feb 9, 2018)

Cooking Goddess said:


> Himself is not a fan of asparagus, so he was happy to see this headline.  However, when you read the entire article, it seems like most foods would be eliminated from one's diet to stay safe. Per the article:
> 
> Cancer spread more when the mice were given asparagine-rich foods, which include dairy, beef, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds and whole grains, among others. Fruits and vegetables contain low levels of asparagine.
> 
> So, pork and veggies not named "asparagus" are OK?  I'll keep taking my chances and wait for more tests on more mice. It looks like this was just one study. They didn't even mention how long it was conducted and how many mice were tested.



Fortunately for us, most journalists aren't scientists. The guy who wrote this article has other masterpieces to his credit, including an in-depth look at Budweiser's "dilly dilly" phenomenon, and another on how scientists of the future might use poop to make "space food." You know... real scientific-y stuff.

I took the time to click through the link to the actual study itself. The first thing that struck me is that the word "asparagus" never once appears in the study. Not once. For that matter, neither do the words "beef," "poultry," "eggs," or "nuts." In fact, it actually doesn't even say what the mice were fed, other than it was an isonitrogenous diet that contained varying percentages of asparagine. Yum! Sounds delicious.

So the author appears to be doing nothing more than drawing a few of his own conclusions.


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## Cooking Goddess (Feb 9, 2018)

GotGarlic said:


> Yeesh, that's not a leading headline at all, is it?...:


I know, pure click-bait.  However, I initially saw the story on TV and did a search online. ~ Himself was not happy to know I'll still be serving up that dreaded "aspergrass".



Steve Kroll said:


> ...I took the time to click through the link to the actual study itself. The first thing that struck me is that the word "asparagus" never once appears in the study. Not once. For that matter, neither do the words "beef," "poultry," "eggs," or "nuts." In fact, it actually doesn't even say what the mice were fed...So the author appears to be doing nothing more than drawing a few of his own conclusions.


I also clicked onto the study, tried to read it, and gave up when my eyes started to . I bet you did a search for those actual words. 

Hmm, maybe that writer doesn't like asparagus either...


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## Just Cooking (Feb 10, 2018)

Taking, possibly, a huge chance on living a long life, when I see headlines such as that, I roll my eyes and move on to important things like, what will a Kardashian name the next child??   

Hey!! Wait!! I've already lived a long life!!   

Ross


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## Steve Kroll (Feb 10, 2018)

Cooking Goddess said:


> I also clicked onto the study, tried to read it, and gave up when my eyes started to . I bet you did a search for those actual words.


Of course! I sure the heck didn't read through all 25 pages. 

And I seriously doubt the USA Today writer did, either.


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