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Gazpacho: How this traditional Spanish tomato dish could help fight cancer

Science has revealed yet another reason why we should love the Spanish summer classic, Gazpacho.

Published: 18 July 2019 15:55 CEST

Gazpacho: How this traditional Spanish tomato dish could help fight cancer

Gazpacho is an ideal meal for a hot summer's day. Photo: James Blick/Flickr

Not only is it perfectly refreshing on a hot day but new research shows that it has cancer fighting qualities.

Researchers at the universities of Granada and Almeria have conducted research that appears to reveal that gazpacho can help fight cancer.

The results of a preclinical study shows that the exact blend of ingredients that go into gazpacho, the traditional Andalusian soup so popular in summer, can have a paralyzing effect on cancer cells.

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The research, which was conducted in the laboratory and has not been carried out on actual cancer sufferers, replicated the digestive process on gazpacho putting it in contact with tumour cells associated with colon cancer.

As well as the main ingredient of tomatos, gazpacho also contains onions, garlic. cucumber, peppers and of course, olive oil.

The study determined that the blend of ingredients used to make gazpacho could not only stop the growth of tumour cells but could actually kill them.

“Colon cancer cells (HT-29) were exposed to growing concentrations of gazpacho previously digested in vitro to simulate the delivery of bioactive molecules to colon cells after food consumption,” explained the study authors in a report published by Food Research International magazine.

The researchers concluded that “Cold tomato soup (gazpacho) digestates reduces colon cancer cells growth in vitro” .

Study author Pablo Campra explained that the study confirmed that the blend of ingredients had a stronger power against the cancer cells than on their own, and that the homemade variety using fresh ingredients was even more potent that shop-bought varieties.

“We have seen how the union of ingredients in gazpacho, increases the effects of all the individual properties, making their consumption more efficient at significantly lower amounts,” concluded Campra.

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Ley ELA: What is Spain's new neurodegenerative disorders law?

What is Spain’s ELA law?

La ley de ELA (ELA law) was initially created for (and named after) people suffering with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – a degenerative illness that affects around 4000 Spaniards.

The law has seen several iterations in recent months and drafts have been presented by different parties with different alterations and amendments.

It was originally put forward by the centre-right opposition Partido Popular to modify 2006 legislation on Personal Autonomy and Care for dependent persons, and included a specific set of changes for patients diagnosed with ALS, with the underlying aim of speeding up diagnosis and increasing benefits for care.

Why is legislation needed?

In Spain, it is estimated that there are over 1 million people and families affected by a neurodegenerative disease. Due to the characteristics of these disorders and the changing (namely ageing) demographics of Spanish society, their prevalence is increasing. Many struggle to get the appropriate care they need in a timely manner.

The ELA law aims to speed up these processes and better coordinate care between health and social services.

READ ALSO: Older and more diverse: What Spain’s population will be like in 50 years

With regards to ELA specifically, it has long been felt that further legislation was necessary to improve the lives and care of ELA sufferers.

“It is absolutely necessary and humanely essential. We cannot allow people to choose to die every day for economic reasons, when what they really want is to live,” said the Spanish ALS Association in March when previous proposals were put forward.

Why is it back in the news?

Essentially because various parties have put forward drafts and the government coalition of PSOE-Sumar has now made its own proposal, expanding the law beyond ALS suffers to include other neurodegenerative disorders, such as:

Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders.
Ataxia.
Huntington’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease.
Motor neurone disease.
Multiple system atrophy.
Progressive supranuclear palsy.

What does the government propose?

By expanding the scope of neurodegenerative disorders covered by the law, the Ministry of Social Rights wants to include the more than 1 million people in Spain who suffer from them, and to give them the benefits previously outlined for ALS sufferers.

In broad strokes, this means creating quicker responses so that people who have been diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases and need care can be assessed and access, in the shortest possible time, the services and benefits available to them.

What will the law actually do?

According to a statement from La Moncloa, one of its main objectives is to “rationalise and reduce procedures as much as possible, to ensure that there is no significant time lag between the process of a disease and the response offered to sufferers by public administrations in all areas.”

The Health Ministry will also update the previous Approach to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which dates back to 2017, to incorporate new goals and actions in the care of people with ALS.

Recommendations for the broader Neurodegenerative Diseases Strategy related to prevention, care and research will also be implemented.

It will include a review of the National Health System’s Portfolio of Services, within the Commission on Benefits, Assurance and Funding of the Inter-territorial Council of the National Health System, with regard to neuromuscular diseases, especially in the field of orthoprosthesis.

Coordination between health and social services will be improved, recognising the role of Spain’s regional health services in establishing the necessary coordination procedures so that patients can access multidisciplinary, continuous and “as individualised as possible.”

It will also introduce a benefit (bono social eléctrico) for family’s of neurodegenerative patients that are dependent on a machine connected to the grid.

When will it finally pass?

It’s unclear, despite the fact that most parties in the Spanish Congress are behind the legislation. The final bill should pass fairly easily, however, though it’s unclear when a final vote will actually be held.

Spain’s Minister for Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy, said this week he is “convinced” that it will be passed during this legislature, swearing that his department will do everything in its power “to achieve it” as soon as possible.

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