Snacking on a certain food helps prevent pancreatic cancer, even if you have other risk factors.
It’s one of the deadliest forms of cancer but this common food can reduce your risk of developing it by 35 percent. And it only takes a handful twice a week.1
Of course, if you’re inactive, smoke, or have a high BMI, your cancer risk goes way up. But a study in the British Journal of Cancer shows that, even with all those risk factors, this powerful food still lowers your chances of developing pancreatic cancer.
If your diet is high in organic vegetables and fruits, you lower your risk even more. But if you want a cheap shortcut to prevent pancreatic cancer, add a mere two ounces of nuts to your diet.
| Peanuts are technically not nuts. They are actually legumes (part of the bean family). They contain phytates which inhibit nutrient absorption and cause inflammation. |
Yes, nuts. They are more potent than some antioxidants in preventing cancers. Tree nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, and pecans are full of healthful fats, protein, and antioxidants. In fact, the antioxidants in walnuts are up to 15 times more potent than those in vitamin E.2
Tree nuts are also full of protein and minerals. Raw almonds, for instance, pack over six grams of protein per ounce and they’re also a great source of calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium, and zinc.3
There are about 24 almonds in an ounce. That means just seven almonds a day helps your body fight free radicals and inflammation.
The study points out that the nuts prevent cancer regardless of other risk factors. But making sure that you live an active lifestyle and eat a diet rich in green vegetables will lower your risk more than just adding the nuts to an already unhealthy diet.
Don’t go overboard with the amount you eat each week. You don’t want the health benefits to be reversed by adding too many calories. And they can add up easily. A single ounce of walnuts has about 200 calories.
You also want to avoid the ones that are covered in chocolate or salt. Always buy your nuts raw and organic. (Just be sure you buy the right kind of raw.)
If your usual afternoon snack is a handful of nuts, you’re doing the right thing to stay healthy and prevent pancreatic cancer.
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References:
1 http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/bjc2013665a.html
2 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110327191040.htm
3 http://shine.yahoo.com/green/8-veggies-nuts-and-grains-with-more-protein-than-a-burger-2596005.html