Most of us have been touched by cancer in some way; Whether yourself or a loved one has been affected, a cancer diagnosis can be a devastating battle. To all those in our Hamama community who have been touched by cancer, we stand with you.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness in fighting this disease. Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women² and less than 1% of men in the United States⁹. The main goal for this campaign is to educate everyone about the prevention, detection, and treatment of breast cancer.

• 65% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage (there is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the breast), for which the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%²
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. It is estimated that in 2022, approximately 30% of all new women cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer²
• 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime²
• There are over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States²
• Every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States²
• Breast cancer treatment can be highly effective, especially when the disease is identified early. Treatment of breast cancer often consists of a combination of surgical removal, radiation therapy and medication¹

Studies around the compound sulforaphane, which is found in certain microgreens, show that it can reduce the risk of common cancers³. Sulforaphane may block the initiation stage in carcinogenesis by inhibiting enzymes that convert procarcinogens to carcinogens and inducing phase 2 enzymes that metabolize carcinogens to facilitate excretion⁶. Microgreens in the Brassicaceae family contain such compounds that may protect against cancers⁴. Brassica⁵ vegetables (also known as cruciferous vegetables) include broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and mustard plants. In these studies, sulforaphane was shown to have anticancer effects³ against prostate, breast, and urinary cancers in preclinical studies, but more research is still needed in this area. Sprouted broccoli seeds were shown to have an abundance of this compound⁷.

A 2012 study⁸ conducted by the University of Maryland and the United States Department of Agriculture looked at 25 different kinds of microgreens. They found 4 to 40 times higher amounts of beneficial nutrients in microgreens - including cruciferous veggies - when compared to mature plants. For example, red cabbage microgreens had 40 times more vitamin E and 6X more ascorbic acid than regular cabbage.

We look forward to more in-depth studies on how microgreens can play a significant role in contributing to health and wellness in all areas and encourage you to explore the scientific literature!

Use your voice, passion, and resources to help us RISE to reach every woman and make sure she has access to the screenings, support, and care she deserves. Together we rise! 💗

American Cancer Society

American Breast Cancer Support Association

Cancer Care

National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

CDC

Interested in growing your own broccoli, cabbage and other highly nutritious microgreens? Get your Hamama Starter Kit and begin your journey of growing fresh, healthy homegrown greens today.

Sources:

1. World Health Organization
2. National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.
3. NCBI
4. Journal of Food Science
5. Merriam Webster
6. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
7. Johns Hopkins Medicine
8. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
9. Susan G. Komen