Salicylates, Natural Anti-Cancer in Fruit And Vegetables

Scientists say that diet with high in organic fruit and vegetables may protect you against cancer and heart disease. Fruit and vegetables are known to have high levels of salicylates, which are also the active anti-inflammatory ingredient of aspirin. Vegetarians meanwhile having higher levels of salicylates in their bodies and that’s why they are known to have low rates of cancer.

The conventionally grown fruit and vegetables treated with pesticides that are found on many supermarket shelves have lower levels of salicylates than those grown organically.

A review of the possible link between cancer prevention and this substance found in aspirin, published in the medical journal The Lancet, says many herbs and spices are also especially rich in salicylates. This could explain international differences in cancer rates, the study said.

The salicylates in fruit and vegetables may in fact play a bigger role in protecting against cancer than the antioxidants on which research has focused until now, the researchers say.

Salicylates, first identified in strawberries at the beginning of the 20th century, have been found to occur naturally in a wide range of plants. Their role in reducing the likelihood of colon cancer has been previously studied, although uptake by the human body from various sources, and the likely dose needed to impact on health, is difficult to measure.

source : independent.co.uk