|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Onions and Garlic May Prevent Cancers
Study Show Eating Lots of the Pungent
Herbs May Keep Certain Types of Cancer at Bay
By Jennifer
Warner
WebMD
Medical News |
Better load up on the breath mints. A new study
suggests eating lots of garlic and onions may help
prevent cancer.
Italian researchers found that people whose diets
are rich in onions, garlic, and other alliums have a
much lower risk of several types of cancer than
those who avoid the pungent herbs.
Researcher Carlotta Galeone, of the Istituto di
Ricerche Farmocologiche "Mario Negri" in Milan, and
colleagues say the health benefits of onion and
garlic have been touted for centuries, but few
studies have been able to prove the benefits.
Pungent Cancer Prevention
In their study, researchers used data from several
Italian and Swiss cancer studies to look at the
relationship between onion and garlic consumption
and cancer at several body sites, including the
mouth, larynx, esophagus, colon, breast, ovary, and
kidneys.
Overall, consumption of onions ranged from 0-14
portions per week among cancer patients and 0-22
portions per week among those without cancer.
Garlic use was also lower among people with cancer,
except for those with cancer of the breast, ovary,
or prostate.
Researchers found moderate consumption of onions
appeared to reduce the risk of colorectal,
laryngeal, and ovarian cancers.
The protective effect was even greater among those
who ate the most onions compared to those who ate
the least. People who ate the most onions also had a
lower risk of oral and esophageal cancers than those
who ate the least.
Moderate use of garlic was also associated with a
lower risk of colorectal and renal cell (a type of
kidney cancer) cancers.
Again, the anticancer effect increased with the more
garlic they ate. People who ate the most garlic had
a lower risk of all cancers except breast and
prostate cancers, which are mainly associated with
hormonal and reproductive issues, write the
researchers.
Researchers say onion and garlic consumption could
simply be a marker for a healthier lifestyle and a
diet high in a variety of potentially
cancer-fighting herbs and vegetables.
However, the protective effect of onions and garlic
against cancer remained significant even when they
controlled for total vegetable intake.
Their results appear the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's
easy to stay up to date on the things that interest you.
Just 
