People who eat lots of garlic and onions have lower risks of developing several types of cancer, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In an analysis of eight European studies, researchers found that older adults with the highest onion and garlic intakes had the lowest risks of many common cancers, including mouth, throat, kidney, ovarian, and colon cancers.
The research team found that men and women who ate 7 or more servings of onions per week were more than 50% less likely to develop colon cancer than people who avoided onions. People with high garlic intake were 25% less likely to develop the disease. It is possible that sulfur compounds in garlic and antioxidant compounds in onions — already shown to inhibit cancers in other studies — provide the protective benefits of these foods.
For increased cancer protection and an overall health boost, you might want to eat more onions and garlic. There is some evidence that the raw forms of these vegetables are significantly more powerful than cooked forms. Also, researchers note that it’s probably best to eat them with other plant foods because the combination of natural compounds may have “synergistic” cancer-fighting effects. In the case of garlic, there are some good-quality “deodorized” supplements on the market that may provide some benefits as well.
Related:
Study: Onions, garlic cut cancer risk
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