Garlics and onions could protect us against cancer, suggests a new study. Onions, garlics, chives and leeks all belong to the allium group of vegetables.
Various studies conducted earlier have suggested that allium vegetables contain compounds like organosulfur and flavanols that are bioactive. Certain compounds in these kinds of vegetables have shown to restrict cancer development. The scientists from the First Hospital of China Medical University tried to understand whether the consumption of these vegetables in large amounts can prevent people from colorectal cancer. The results of their study were published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Besides skin cancers, colorectal cancer also known as bowel cancer is the third common cancer in men and women in the US, said the study. Although the researchers are well aware of the ill effects of high levels of consumption of red meat or processed meat, they do not know much about foods that may protect against colorectal cancer. Some scientists have found that allium vegetables can reduce the risk of bowel cancer, while others have found no effect at all. The researchers of the recent study found that the results vary because of the way the data was collected. They found that for analysis some studies took all allium vegetables in one group, while others did not include some uncommon allium vegetables.
The researchers found that there was a link between the level of allium vegetable that a person consumed and his risk of developing colorectal cancer. The study found that the risk of developing bowel cancer in individuals who consumed high levels of allium vegetables was 79% lower than those who consumed low levels of these vegetables. The senior author of the study Dr. Zhi Li said that their research found that the greater the amount of consumption of allium vegetables, the better the amount of protection.