Dry fruits against colon cancer

People with stage III colon cancer who regularly eat dry fruits have a significantly lower risk of cancer recurrence and mortality than those who do not, according to a new and extensive study led by researchers at the Yale University Cancer Center , United States, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The study followed 826 participants in a clinical trial for an average of 6.5 years after being treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Those who regularly ate at least two one-ounce servings of dry fruits each week showed a 42 percent improvement in disease-free survival and a 57 percent improvement in overall survival. “A more detailed analysis of this cohort revealed that disease-free survival increased by 46 percent among the subgroup of consumers who drank dry fruits,” says study lead author Charles S. Fuchs, director of the Yale Cancer Center. “These findings are consistent with many other observational studies that indicate that a range of healthy behaviours, including increased physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and lower intake of sugar and sweetened beverages, improve the outcome of colon cancer.” another scientist of this work, Temidayo Fadelu, postdoctoral researcher at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, United States, emphasises. “The results highlight the importance of emphasising dietary and lifestyle factors in the survival of colon cancer,” he adds.

Fruta seca frente al cáncer de colon

In addition, the researchers highlight, the study highlighted the connections between biological mechanisms that worsen the disease not only in colon cancer but in certain chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Many previous studies have reported that dry fruits, among other benefits for health, they can help reduce insulin resistance, a condition in which the body has difficulty processing this hormone. Insulin resistance leads to unhealthy levels of blood sugar and is often a history of type 2 diabetes and related diseases. Previous work among patients with colon cancer revealed worse results among those with lifestyle factors that increase insulin resistance, such as obesity, lack of exercise and a diet with high levels of carbohydrates that rapidly raise sugar levels in the blood. As result, dry fruits and sugar is a myth.

Piña deshidratada

Dry pineapple for example has fiber which is very important in our diet and as result very healthy. There are two types of fiber: soluble and non-soluble. Soluble fiber is beneficial because it helps intestinal transit. And, insoluble fiber is the one that contains the pineapple and serves to improve the intestinal process, retains water, reduces hunger, prevents colon cancer, renews intestinal flora, prevents haemorrhoids. This type of fiber does not dissolve with water so it increases the volume of feces and helps foods pass faster through the intestine.

Sport guide to dry fruits

“These studies support the hypothesis that behaviors that make you less resistant to insulin, including eating nuts, seem to improve outcomes in colon cancer,” explains Fuchs. Dry fruits could also play a positive role in satisfying hunger with a lower intake of carbohydrates or other foods associated with poor results, Fuchs says. The authors of the study leave aside the consumption of peanuts because, they clarify, they are not dry fruits, but legumes. The dry fruits that were included in the diet were walnuts, hazelnuts and cashews, and pineapple.

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Photo by Jakub Kapusnak from Foodiesfeed


Tags: cáncercolondiabetesdry fruitfruitshealthyinsulinepineappleresearch