Eating Strawberries Could Possibly Prevent Breast Cancer, According to New Medical Study
A new medical study suggested that strawberries have the potential to cure breast cancer — if women respond with the same effect as did laboratory mice, that is. Researchers from Europe and Latin America conducted the animal experiment at Italy's Marche Polytechnic University with promising results.
The team gathered a group of female mice with breast tumors and lab-grown cancer cells from an invasive and highly aggressive strain. For the next few weeks, the rodents were fed an extract from Alba strawberries which made up 15 percent of their diet. The tumors were monitored twice a week through palpitation.
After five weeks of subsisting on a strawberry-rich diet, the tumors were extracted from the mice and showed no signs of further growth. Some of the tumors also shrank, which was attributed to the phenolic plant compounds found in the fruit which reduced the spread of cancer cells.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Scientists have long established strawberries' curative effects, making it one of the world's healthiest fruits, Daily Mail reported. The berries are a rich source of protective chemicals as well as cancer-busting anthocyanins and ellagic acid that get rid of tissue-damaging free radicals in the blood.
Aside from being one of the best sources of Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, strawberries are also full of magnesium, calcium and potassium. Consuming 10 to 15 strawberries a day can bring antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds into the body and reduce blood cholesterol levels.
However, Dr. Maurizio Battino, co-author of the study, cautioned that the result on animal subjects may not be the same for humans. "The majority of diseases, including cancer, are complex, and involve complex interactions between cellular and molecular systems that determine the development of the disease," he said.
If there is a positive finding from the laboratory trials is that people can protect themselves from cancer by supplementing their regular diet with strawberries. However, strawberries are also commonly associated with allergic reactions, which is why the public is advised to seek medical advice before eating.
