Citrus Fruits: Anti-Cancer
We’ve all heard that fruits are good for you. Citrus fruits in particular have benefits that you might not have been aware of and the list of virtues continues to grow.
A recent study (published in the International journal of Food Sciences and Nutriton) showed that citrus fruits may be linked to a lower incidence of urinary bladder cancer as noted in a large meta-analysis of 14 studies by Chinese researcher Sudong Liang, MD. His analysis including over 900,000 subjects showed that a higher intake of citrus fruit (lemons, oranges and grapefruits) led to a 23% lower risk of bladder cancer.
The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study showed that a healthy serving of fruits ( including citrus fruits) and vegetables led to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke as did the nurses healthy study.
Though human studies are lacking possible additional benefits may include antioxidant properties, and possibly even anti-inflammatory properties.
Researchers have also found lab studies to suggest that citrus peel has flavanoids that have anticancer properties so consider layering on the marmalade... and happy orange picking...