People who eat a lot of garlic onions are less likely to have cancer

The incidence of esophageal, uterine and nasopharyngeal cancer in elderly people with frequent eating habits is much lower than the average level of society, said the Institute of Pharmacological Research Mario Negri (Italy).

Some previous studies have made similar conclusions, but many people remain skeptical. They believe the study participants are Chinese so it is not certain that onions and garlic can help prevent cancer in Westerners. With this finding, it can be affirmed that Westerners also benefit from the anti-cancer effects of onions and garlic.

(Photo: Flickr) According to Dr. Carlotta Galeone, team leader, it is not yet possible to confirm that onions and garlic directly prevent cancer. He said that maybe people who like onions, garlic pursue a diet high in fruits and vegetables and that helps them reduce the risk of cancer.

On the other hand, animal studies and laboratory tests with cancer cells show that compounds in the onions and garlic can inhibit the growth of tumors. For example, sulfur compounds in garlic and flavonoid, the antioxidant agent in onions, are one of the substances that protect cells from cancer invasion.

The findings of Galeone and colleagues are the results of eight studies of the effects of garlic and onions conducted in Italy and Switzerland. These compares the level of garlic intake in older healthy people with those with at least one form of cancer. Researchers have asked participants about their diet, physical activity and other habits.

For esophageal cancer, Galeone's team found that women and men who ate seven or more times a week reduced their risk of disease by half compared with those who did not like vegetables. Similarly, those who ate garlic at least 7 times a week had a lower risk of cancer than those who never used garlic in the diet about 25%. People who like garlic and onions also have a lower risk of throat, mouth, kidney and uterine cancer.

According to Galeone, with what is known about the biochemical properties of compounds in onions and garlic, it is a good idea to add these two vegetables to your daily diet. However, the wisest way is to mix them with many other vegetables.

Some previous studies confirm that garlic and tomatoes have anti-cancer effects, Galeone said. He stressed that, in general, experts recommend that people eat a variety of vegetables in their daily diet to have a healthy body.

Viet Linh