Scientists at the University of California-Davis have shown for the first time thatwalnuts reduce the size and growth rate of prostate cancerin animals. The results of their study have been made public during the national meeting of the American Chemical Society held this week in San Francisco (United States).
Walnuts are a rich source of healthy substances, includingOmega-3 fatty acids, which are also found in more expensive foods such as salmon; thegamma tocopherols, a form of vitamin E; thepolyphenolsand theantioxidants.
According to Paul Davis, director of the research, “walnuts should be part of a healthy diet for the prostate,a balanced diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables“In fact, studies show thattomatoesand thegrapefruit juicethey also reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Scientists recently showed that walnuts could fight heart disease by reducing levels ofendothelin, a substance that increases inflammation of the blood vessels. This effect was added to that of reducing blood levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL. Since people with prostate cancer have elevated levels of endothelin, the scientists decided to test whether consuming walnuts could be beneficial in prostate cancer.
Davis and his team fed laboratory mice, genetically programmed to develop prostate cancer, the equivalent of 14 peeled walnuts daily for two months. A control group of mice followed the same diet but with soybean oil. The mice fed the walnuts developed prostate cancers that were 50 percent smaller than those of the control mice. These cancers also grew 30 percent slower.
As if this were not enough, genetic analyzes showed that walnuts also had great beneficial effects on thegenesthat participated in the control of tumor growth. That’s how it is.
