Did you eat your broccoli today? If you did, then you've done a little to help protect yourself against colon cancer!

Broccoli, along with cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, rutabagas, onions, and turnips are in a family called cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables contain isothiocyanate, one of many phytochemicals that have been found to offer protection against certain carcinogens. Other vegetables containing isothiocyanate are kale, mustard greens, collards, and kohlrabi.

Does what you eat actually affect your risk of cancer? Absolutely! The American Cancer Society says from 35% to 50% of all cancers are nutritionally linked! (Heavy smoking and alcohol consumption increase your risk even more.)

• Eat five or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
• Limit meat intake. Choose beans, peanuts, tofu, and soy-based meat substitutes instead.
• Choose lean cuts of meat, broiled or baked rather than fried or sauteed. Trim the fat and discard before cooking. Limit to 3 oz. servings.
• Choose fresh meat instead of smoked or cured meat, like bologna, sausage, and hotdogs. Nitrites from the curing process form carcinogens in the body.
• Choose chicken, fish, and seafood instead of red meat. Remove the skin from chicken.
• Limit intake of high fat foods. Choose foods baked or broiled instead of fried.
• Choose whole grain over processed products, such as whole wheat rather than white bread, to increase fiber in your diet.
• Limit alcoholic beverages.

For more information on cancer, call the Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Institute at 800-422-6237 or visit their web site at cancernet.nci.nih.gov.

Here's a recipe you'll be anxious to try!

Award
Winning
Recipe
from Barbara's Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 ten oz. can of Cheddar Cheese soup mix
• 4 to 5 cups fresh Broccoli and Cauliflower
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped Onion
• 1 Tbsp. freshly chopped Garlic
• Paprika (optional)

Directions:

Prepare in a shallow 8" x 8" baking dish, canned Cheddar Cheese soup mix - (prepare per directions on product - for best results, use more water and less milk of the total liquid allowed - add less liquid for a thicker sauce. Soy milk can be used in place of regular milk.)

Wash and cut fresh broccoli and cauliflower into large 3-inch pieces and add to soup preparation. (Optional: add rutabagas or turnips for extra flavor!)

Stove top preparation: Cook vegetables in cheese mixture over low heat. Cover just enough to let the steam out. Don't boil. Turn gently while cooking.

Oven preparation: Prepare as for stove top. Cook on low heat until the cheese mixture has melted turning the vegetables often. Loosely cover and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the desired softness of the vegetables is reached (for crisper vegetables, cook less time). During the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove from the oven and stir the vegetables into the cheese sauce. Leave the cover off and put the vegetables back into the oven for the remaining cooking time to let the top brown.

For a cheesier mixture, top with Velveeta or American cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Sprinkle with Paprika and serve.

Where do you get your nutrition information? Most states now have licensure laws for Dietitians and Nutritionists. Be sure your nutrition advisor is "Licensed" by the State as a Licensed Dietitian (LD) or Licensed Nutritionist (LN), or in states that don't have licensure laws, a Registered Dietitian.

CarboH, Inc.
Barbara Herondorf, L.D.

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