This was too funny to keep - Yay for Indian food!
(From my Planet Science Listserve)
Got a headache? Take two vindaloos.
Scientists have discovered that curries can help to treat headaches and prevent cancer of the colon. The study, by the Rowett Research Institute, revealed that salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin, is found in many fruit and vegetables but that curries are one of the best sources. This is good news for some people, who cannot take aspirin due to problems like gastro-intestinal bleeding. The report found that one portion of vindaloo examined contained 95mg of salicylic acid - more than the amount in a low-dose aspirin tablet (65mg). The hotter the curry is, the greater the possible benefits. Plants naturally produce salicylic acid as a defence mechanism against attack from harmful pathogens. The chemical also appears to inhibit certain enzymes in the body associated with cancer development. Regular use of aspirin has been associated with a reduction in cancer of the colon. This is thought to be due to its ability to reduce the chronic inflammation that happens in all three stages of tumour development.
Balbir Sumal, a leading Glasgow Indian restaurateur, said he was not surprised by the findings. “People in India have been using these ingredients for thousands of years to treat ailments,” he said. “If you have a bad wound a lot of people slap turmeric on a hot chapati and wrap it around it. There are also recipes using ginger, turmeric and cumin that help a cold. Indian food has a bad reputation but it can be very healthy.” Don’t tell us - this was all devised by a Dr Ruby Murray…
So there you have it. Skip the chemist’s and head for the local curryhouse.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2321043,00.html
I knew there was a reason we loved Nawab so much in college. :)
Got a headache? Take two vindaloos.
Scientists have discovered that curries can help to treat headaches and prevent cancer of the colon. The study, by the Rowett Research Institute, revealed that salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin, is found in many fruit and vegetables but that curries are one of the best sources. This is good news for some people, who cannot take aspirin due to problems like gastro-intestinal bleeding. The report found that one portion of vindaloo examined contained 95mg of salicylic acid - more than the amount in a low-dose aspirin tablet (65mg). The hotter the curry is, the greater the possible benefits. Plants naturally produce salicylic acid as a defence mechanism against attack from harmful pathogens. The chemical also appears to inhibit certain enzymes in the body associated with cancer development. Regular use of aspirin has been associated with a reduction in cancer of the colon. This is thought to be due to its ability to reduce the chronic inflammation that happens in all three stages of tumour development.
Balbir Sumal, a leading Glasgow Indian restaurateur, said he was not surprised by the findings. “People in India have been using these ingredients for thousands of years to treat ailments,” he said. “If you have a bad wound a lot of people slap turmeric on a hot chapati and wrap it around it. There are also recipes using ginger, turmeric and cumin that help a cold. Indian food has a bad reputation but it can be very healthy.” Don’t tell us - this was all devised by a Dr Ruby Murray…
So there you have it. Skip the chemist’s and head for the local curryhouse.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2321043,00.html
I knew there was a reason we loved Nawab so much in college. :)