Chinese delicacy sea cucumber's role in cancer prevention

Sea cucumber has been a delicacy in China for thousands of years. Because it can tonify the qi and kidney, and because of its high nutritional value, it has been given the name “the ginseng in the sea”.

Researchers have discovered in recent years that sea cucumber can help prevent cancer. It can inhibit the growth and occurrence of cancer cells by inhibiting the synthesis of protein and DNA. In addition, sea cucumbers are rich in selenium. This element can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells, but also inhibit the growth of capillaries needed by cancer cells.

Sea cucumber can also improve the body's cellular immune function, and help restore the body’s compromised immune function caused by cancer or the use of anti-cancer drugs.

According to Prof. Li Feng of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, in cancer treatment, doctors should not just focus on the treatment of cancer cells, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In fact, these treatments also cause damages to the human body. Therefore, doctors should also pay attention to the preservation of the body’s Zheng qi. Sea cucumber is very prominent in this respect."

Sea cucumber contains more than 50 nutrients that are beneficial to human physiological activities, which can provide timely and effective nourishment to the body. It has high protein content, 18 amino acids, taurine, Chondroitin sulfate, sea cucumber mucopolysaccharides, calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, vanadium, manganese and other micronutrients, and vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin and other vitamins. Of the 18 amino acids, 8 are essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the human body.

In the Chinese medicine book Supplements to Compendium of Materia Medica, sea cucumber’s functions include "tonifying the kidney meridian, benefiting the essence, eliminating puffiness and salivation, controlling urination, and tonifying yang qi and blood."