Eating or drinking this tasty, nutrient rich fruit might help to
slow of stop breast cancer according to a new study published in Cancer
Prevention Research. The work identifies a group of phytochemicals known
as ellagitannins, abundant in pomegranates, that inhibit the growth of
estrogen responsive breast cancers in the lab.
The researchers
believe the ellagitannins in pomegranates work by inhibiting a key
enzyme (known as aromatase) the body uses to make estrogen, which is
suspected of a role in breast cancer growth.
"Phytochemicals
suppress estrogen production that prevents the proliferation of breast
cancer cells and the growth of estrogen-responsive tumors," explains
researcher Shiuan Chen, PhD, director of the Division of Tumor Cell
Biology and co-leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program at City of
Hope in Duarte, California.
For this work, the researchers
examined the impact of 10 ellagitannin-derived compounds from
pomegranates on hormone activity and breast cancer cell growth. The
results showed that of the ten compounds, urolithins B most
significantly inhibited the growth of the breast cancer cells in the
laboratory testing.
The results are promising, though more work
will be needed to see if eating or drinking pomegranate-derived products
will have any effect in people.
Pomegranates have gotten a lot of
attention recently - becoming one of the most talked about "superfoods"
out there because of both the heart healthy and anti-cancer benefits.
This
latest work is the first to look at breast cancer growth, and we'll
likely hear of other studies as the year 2009 saw no fewer than 20
clinical trials registered with the National Institutes of Health to
look at pomegranate consumption on many diseases.
If you're
concerned about your cancer risk, or just want to take advantage of the
potential health benefits, consider making pomegranates a regular part
of your diet - Even at the risk of pink hands, a juice splattered shirt
and the effort needed to enjoy the fruit. If you've never tried one,
pomegranates have a unique, very pleasant flavor. You can eat the seeds
themselves, or add them to salads, meats, or other grain pilaf dishes,
even deserts.
If you have the option between the fruit and its
juice form, always try to choose the fruit, as it has natural fiber as
well as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
You can buy the fruit in juice form, though it can be expensive and comes with more than its share of calories.
Often
it's easy to drink a lot more calories than you realize, so watch your
portion sizes and keep your intake to 1.5 ounces of the juice.
If
the taste is too strong for you, try mixing it with mineral or seltzer
water, or with blueberry or cranberry juice for a super rich antioxidant
drink.
It's also a great addition to your favorite smoothie
recipe, or mix it with plain yogurt or cottage cheese. There are even
pudding recipes out there that are delicious and healthy too.
There
are stores where you can buy pomegranate paste that's made with
molasses. This lends itself to glazes, dips and salad dressing recipes.
No
matter what form you choose, enjoying delicious, good for you
pomegranates might be one of the best, most natural ways to give your
body healthy nutrients and perhaps women might also be able to stop
breast cancer from developing.
