Key points:Breast cancer is cancer that develops in the tissues of the breasts, and may spread to other parts of the body. Breast cancer is more common in women than in men. Breast cancer, is in fact, the most common type of cancer that affects women worldwide. Around 25% of the total number of cancer cases registered in 2018 were of breast cancer.
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women
- Prevention and early detection of breast cancer can improve survival rates
- Eating raw onion and garlic can help in preventing breast cancer
Breast cancer awareness is extremely important to prevent the disease. Awareness can also help in early diagnosis of the disease which increases chances of survival and successful treatment.
A recent study has found that consumption of raw onion and garlic may play a key role in reducing the risk of breast cancer and preventing the disease. The study was published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.There is enough data available to establish the link between the consumption of garlic and onion and reduced risk of prostate and stomach cancer. However, there was not enough research on the link between consumption of these vegetables and risk of breast cancer. A study, led by lead researcher Gauri Desai, a doctoral candidate in epidemiology at the University at Buffalo (UB), part of The State University of New York finally examined the relation. They studied a population of women in Puerto Rico. They chose this particular place because of two reseasons. Firstly, "Puerto Rico has lower breast cancer rates, compared to the mainland [United States], which makes it an important population to study," Desai explained, as quoted by Medical News Today. The second reason was a condiment called sofrito, which contains high amounts of onion and garlic, and is a traditional sauce consumed across the island of Puerto Rico.
The researchers used a food frequency questionnaire to find out diet patterns of the subjects, onion and garlic intake, which included the consumption of sofrito. It was found that there is an inverse relationship between the consumption of garlic and onion and breast cancer cases, compared with low consumption of these vegetables.
Quoting the researchers, "Sofrito intake, when examined alone, was inversely associated with breast cancer; for those consuming sofrito more than once/day, there was a 67% decrease in risk, compared to never consumers."
How can garlic and onion lower risk of breast cancer?
Raw garlic contains compounds like the alkyl sulfur, S-allyl cysteine, diallyl sulfide, and diallyl disulfide. These compounds have antibiotic properties, which make garlic an effective remedy for preventing breast cancer. Raw garlic is also good for the immunity of the body and can help in fighting inflammation and other abnormalities.
Onion, on the other hand, contains alkenyl cysteine sulphoxides because of which it is also considered an anticarcinogenic. Anticarcinogenic are compounds that counter the effect of carcinogen and inhibit the development of cancer. Onions could help in preventing breast cancer due to these properties.
