Wheat May Be Vital In Battle Against Cancer And Other Diseases

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Wheat May Be Vital In Battle Against Cancer And Other Diseases

MANHATTAN -- A new weapon has been discovered in the battle against

disease: whole grain wheat.

According to Kansas State University biochemist Dolores Takemoto, new

research is showing that wheat contains powerful antioxidants which are

key to its ability to prevent colon cancer, and possibly diabetes and

heart disease.

" In the past, we thought the fiber in wheat prevented cancer, " Takemoto

said. " This discovery shows that there are antioxidants, in addition to

fiber, which are responsible for preventing cancer. "

With this information, K-State scientists maybe be able to create

modified wheat strains with high levels of cancer-fighting chemicals.

" We hope we will be able to create a genetically modified plant, "

Takemoto said. " We won't be modifying it to adapt to its environment,

like most genetically modified plants, but we will be modifying it to

produce more of its own cancer-fighting chemicals. We want to produce

for the Kansas community strains of wheat that are nutraceuticals, which

are higher quality grains that have enhanced amounts of these

antioxidants in them. "

Wheat's antioxidants are important because they combat the body's

free-radicals. Free-radicals are charged particles which the body

produces and which, if they react harmfully, could cause damage.

" Throughout life you make a lot of free-radicals, " Takemoto said. " You

want to keep them from forming because they contribute to heart disease,

cancer, diabetes, cataracts, even wrinkling. High antioxidant levels mop

up the free-radicals. "

Wheat's antioxidants are found in the plant's orthophenols. Takemoto and

other K-State biochemists are in the early stages of developing wheat

with high levels of orthophenols. A successful modification could lead

to wheat's ability to combat cancer by simply including it in a daily diet.

K-State scientists are optimistic of wheat's cancer-fighting ability

because their preliminary testing shows some available wheat strains

already contain a great number of orthophenols.

" Several high antioxidant wheat strains are already available for

growing, " Takemoto said. " People worry about the antioxidants not

surviving baking, but some of the strains we tested had high antioxidant

levels across the board. These could be grown now and they do survive

baking well. "

Antioxidants can be found in several vitamins, including vitamin E and

vitamin D, but research shows that eating whole grain products and wheat

germ is critical for the antioxidants to be absorbed.

" I like to argue against taking a pill, " Takemoto said. " Only very

stable vitamins provide the high levels of antioxidants needed, and even

then they don't have very long shelf lives. Folic acid, for example,

doesn't have a long shelf life for keeping high antioxidant levels. Many

people use vitamin pills to compensate for a poor diet, but including

whole grain wheat into your regular diet will have greater effects. "

This project is funded by the Kansas Wheat Commission. Takemoto received

her doctoral degree from the University of Southern California. She has

been teaching and conducting research at K-State for 23 years.