One of my favorite childhood summer memories is of picking berries. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and nameless combinations of the above that grew wild in our woods. I seem to have forgotten the scratches and mosquito bites, but I do remember bickering with my brothers. "Don't eat them all or we won't have enough for strawberry soup!" Summer wasn't summer without mom's strawberry soup.
Who would have known that my mother's attempts to be a Martha Stewart predecessor gave us more than a treat and precious memories. Her recipe was helping to protect us from developing lung cancer in the future. A substance called ellagic acid appears to help prevent lung cancer -- at least in the lab, and both strawberries and raspberries are rich in ellagic acid.
My mother seems to have misplaced that recipe, but our own About.com Guide to Eastern European Cooking, Barbara Rolek, has a recipe that I think is even better. Enjoy -- but shhh... don't tell my mom.
Polish Strawberry Soup (Zupa Truskawkowy)
Photo: flickr.com, user deveynin
Sources:
American Institute for Cancer Research. Foods That Fight Cancer. Berries. Accessed 05/08/09 at http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=dc_foods_berries
Khanduja, K. et al. Prevention of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced lung tumorigenesis by ellagic acid and quercetin in mice. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 1999. 37(4):313-8.
Losso, J. et al. In vitro anti-proliferative activities of ellagic acid. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 2004. 15(11):672-8.
Sudheer, A. et al. Ellagic acid, a natural polyphenol protects rat peripheral blood lymphocytes against nicotine-induced cellular and DNA damage in vitro: with the comparison of N-acetylcysteine. Toxicology. 2007. 230(1):11-21.
I always knew strawberries were good for you. Thanks for the proof!