Lectins in Snails Make them Great Anti-Cancer Food
Anti-Cancer Foods
Foods containing anti-cancer properties should be included often in our regular diet. In particular, several servings daily of fresh fruit and vegetables high in antioxidants are recommended by nutritionists. However, antioxidants are not our only defence against cell damage and cancer. Other important factors, including lectins, are also contained within plants and animal protein.
Lectins
Red meat has received negative attention in recent years for its toxic and even carcinogenic effects in some people due to damage by lectins. Those with blood group A are thought to be particularly susceptible to the lectins in red meat. There are, however, food preferences for each blood type to protect against harmful lectins while taking advantage of beneficial lectins. A guide to navigating your way through the complexities of healthy eating with a focus on lectins is provided in Peter D’Adamo’s book ‘Eat Right for Your Type’.
Anti-Cancer Properties of Lectins
Lectins that offer protective anti-cancer activity are derived predominantly from plants such as peanuts, soy, mushrooms, fava beans and amaranth. They inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells by causing them to clump together. One notable animal-derived lectin with anti-cancer properties is found in the edible snails of the Helix species most commonly Helix pomatia and aspersa. The snail lectin aids the immune system in the identification of cancerous cells as foreign and exposes them to destruction by the body’s natural antibodies. Snails have been used as an anti-cancer remedy in Europe since medieval times and perhaps even earlier.
These snail lectins are proteins that bind to sugar molecules on the surface of cells. When a normal cell turns cancerous the surface of the cell gradually becomes coated with sugar molecules. As the cells start to multiply and spread, the sugar coating begins to resemble a blood type A cell. For type A and AB people this means the cancer cell is invisible to the immune system because it is recognized as a normal cell. However when snail lectin binds to this sugar coated cell it masks the A-like appearance allowing it then to be seen as abnormal by the immune system.
Nutritional Value of Snails
Apart from its anti-cancer properties, the snail is eaten as a delicacy. It is a good source of protein and minerals while being low in fat. A typical nutritional breakdown may include 18% protein, 2% fat, 80% water, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and smaller quantities of iron, copper, zinc, vitamin B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, vitamins A and E. Traditionally, snails are eaten with a garlic, butter and parsley sauce, however, lower fat recipes using stock also work very well.
Where to Find Edible Snails
Don’t buy snail pellets and other poisons. Preparing snails from the garden is a free and easy way to both rid your garden of pests and indulge in a healthy delicacy. Collect and feed them on fresh lettuce leaves for a week or two to clean them because you don’t know what toxic plants, such as oleander for example, they may have been eating prior to collection. Look for easy recipes on the internet.
References
Ozogul Y, Ozogul F, Olgunoglu A, 2005. Fatty acid profile and mineral content of the wild snail (Helix pomatia) from the region of the south of Turkey. Eur Food Res Technol, 221:547-549
Saint-Guirons J, Zeqiraj E, Schumacher U, Greenwell P, Dwek M, 2007. Proteome analysis of metastatic colorectal cancer cells recognized by the lectin Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA). Proteomics, 7(22):4082-4089
Schumacher U, Higgs D, Loizidou M, Pickering R, Leathem A, Taylor I, 1994. Helix pomatia agglutinin binding is a useful prognostic indicator in colorectal carcinoma. Cancer, 74(12):3104-3107