I usually highlight a particular ingredient in a recipe that has breast cancer prevention properties. This recipe has two ingredients that have been shown in studies to reduce breast cancer risk. Many of the recipes here also have antioxidant properties that are good for other types of cancer prevention too.
This particular recipe I selected because the broth is made of green tea. Green tea has been shown in many studies to reduce breast cancer by 50%! Green tea contains antioxidants know as polyphenols. Doctors recommend consuming 7 to 10 cups a day, so that’s why I thought this soup was a great idea. It’s a great way to work some more green tea into your diet.
I learned from Dr. William Li, on the doctor OZ show, that lima beans are also great at reducing breast cancer. He said that they make breast cancer cells die by cutting off blood supply, and lima beans can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer by 24%. He suggested that you consume 1 cup per day. Dr. Li said that you could use frozen lima beans. He recommended that you check the beans when you buy them to make sure they are not stuck together. This means they have melted and re-frozen and it causes them to lose their beneficial properties. They also contain fiber, which is also good for cancer protection.
Cooking Note: Feel free to use decaffeinated green tea if you plan on consuming this late in the evening, so you won’t have insomnia from the caffeine. Also if you plan to serve leftover store soba noodles separate from soup to keep them from getting too mushy.
Green Tea Soup
Ingredients
- 5 Green tea bags
- 1 sliced lemon grass stalk, optional
- 1 ½ cups lima beans
- 1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked
- 1 can chicken stock
- ½ package soba noodles, cooked
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 green onions sliced, tops and bottoms
- 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot chili oil, optional
- Bean sprouts for garnish
Directions
Bring 5 cups of water to a boil; remove from heat and add 5 green tea bags and the lemon grass if using. Steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the solids, and bring to a simmer. Add lima beans, salt and pepper, and shitake mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and stock. Cook the soba noodles according the package instructions (decrease time by 1 minute.) Set aside; add sesame oil, green onions, tamari or soy, and chili oil. Heat for an additional 2 minutes. Place noodles in bowls and top with soup mixture. Garnish with bean sprouts and serve immediately.
