According to a study published in the journal Cancer Research, there seems to be a synergistic effect when the two ingredients are ingested at the same time, enhancing their ability to shrink prostate cancer tumors.
During the study, laboratory rats implanted with prostate cancer cells were fed a diet containing 10 percent broccoli powder and 10 percent tomato powder. These rats were compared with implanted rats who were either: castrated, given broccoli powder only, tomato powder only, lycopene (the ingredient thought to be protective in tomoatoes), or finasteride (a drug prescribed for men with BPH).
After 22 weeks, the rats were euthanized and the tumors were weighed. The tumors of the rats fed the combo of tomato/broccoli powder had grown the least of any group. Biopsies of the tumors were then evaluated at Ohio State University, which confirmed that the tumor cells in the combo diet group had not multiplied as rapidly.
The only other group which had tumor sizes comparable to the combo group were the rats who had been surgically castrated.
In the report, the scientists calculated the amount of broccoli and tomatoes that need to be eaten by men to emulate these same results. They recommend 1.5 cups of broccoli and a cup of tomato sauce per day to achieve the same effects found in the study.
Analysis:
Although this study was performed on rats, it was solid in that all of the rats had prostate cancer, and all were uniformly tested at the end to the time period. Prostate cancer risk testing in humans is tough because you cannot control all factors as easily, which can skew studies to the point that the wrong conclusions are drawn.Should you decide to add tomatoes and broccoli to your diet, the researchers recommend the equivalent of 1.5 cups of broccoli and one cup of tomato sauce per day.
Source:
Canene-Adams, K., Lindshield, B.L., Jeffery, E.H., et. al. (2007). Combinations of Tomato and Broccoli Enhance Antitumor Activity in
Dunning R3327-H Prostate Adenocarcinomas. Cancer Research. (pdf).
