Blueberry
consumption may reduce the risk of having breast cancer, according to a new
research conducted in New Zealand.
Dr.
Janyawat Vuthijumnonk, who recently finished Doctor of Philosophy in Manawatū,
said that the biological properties of blueberries, like anthocyanins, help
decrease the chance of developing breast cancer.
“Blueberries
contain phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which may be responsible for the
health benefits of blueberries,” she said. “They reduce free radicals in our
system, decrease new blood vessel formation, and increase the number of
beneficial bacteria – all elements which help in the fight against breast
cancer,” Dr. Vuthijumnonk added.
In the
study done in Massey University, they detected a 50-percent lower incidence
rate of mammary tumors after including blueberries, which were given either in
liquid form or as a pomace (fiber included) supplemented diet form, to the animals’ diet.
“Interestingly,
tumors found in animals that received blueberries with their fiber included
[pomace form], were smaller and less aggressive than in animals without
blueberry intervention or in animals that received blueberry juice. We also
found circulating estrogen – the steroid hormone which plays a key role in
breast cancer promotion – was lower in animals that consumed the blueberry
pomace supplemented diet. This shows that not only phytochemicals in
blueberries play a key role for their health benefits, but the fibre in the
fruits was also shown to play an important part,” the 35-year-old doctor
further explained.
Dr
Vuthijumnonk stressed that it is important to remember that the research was
done in an animal trial and the response to environment stress of each animal
differ.
“Therefore,
we can’t say eating blueberries will prevent breast cancer in humans. But we
are able to say blueberry consumption may lower the risk of developing breast
cancer at the population level,” the doctor who hails from Thailand clarified.
The
breast cancer (women only) was the second most common cancer in the world with
about 1.7 million new cases in 2012.
In the
Philippines, World Health Organization or WHO’s data show that in 2014, the
country reached 7,730 or 1.48% of total deaths due to breast cancer. The age
adjusted Death Rate is 22.01 per 100,000 of population which places the
Philippines #30 in the world.
The data
from the World Center Research Fund International’s website explains that in
2012, there were 14.1 million cases of cancer around the world.
Michael
Andrea M. Tangan
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