Almond’s role in Breast Cancer Prevention
Almonds and cancer prevention go hand in hand, but these tiny nuts also help to cure cancer. Scientists have discovered that almonds contain an abundance of phytochemicals, which are compounds found in plants that are proven to fight off free radicals. Our bodies create free radicals during exercise, exposure to sunlight, and even when we eat a lot of vegetables, so they can be quite difficult to eliminate. Fortunately, almonds can help with this problem by providing the body with more phytochemicals than most other foods. One of the research papers says the following on the prevention of breast cancer:The high con-sumption of peanuts, walnuts, or almonds significantly re-duced the risk for breast cancer by 2–3 times. This protective effect was not found with low or moderate seed consumption when compared with null consumption. Soriano-Hernandez AD, Madrigal-Perez DG, Galvan-Salazar HR, Arreola-Cruz A, Briseño-Gomez L, Guzmán-Esquivel J, Dobrovinskaya O, Lara-Esqueda A, Rodríguez-Sanchez IP, Baltazar-Rodriguez LM, Espinoza-Gomez F, Martinez-Fierro ML, de-Leon-Zaragoza L, Olmedo-Buenrostro BA, Delgado-Enciso I. The protective effect of peanut, walnut, and almond consumption on the development of breast cancer. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2015;80(2):89-92. doi: 10.1159/000369997. Epub 2015 Jul 10. PMID: 26183374.Almond is a nutritionally rich food. It is rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It also contains several compounds which are known to have anti-cancer properties. In recent years, there has been a lot of research carried out to find out the benefits of almonds in reducing the risk of certain types of cancer. The most common type of cancer that almonds could help prevent is breast cancer. Research has shown that dietary changes can help reduce the risk of breast cancer. One study even went as far as to say that people who ate higher amounts of almonds reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by 40%.
- One study has shown that a compound called amygdalin (also known as laetrile) present in almonds can actually have anti-cancer effects. Studies suggest that amygdalin kills cancer cells by triggering an enzyme known as the free radical scavenging enzyme.
- Another study showed that drinking milk containing almond milk could significantly decrease the risk of death due to breast cancer. The results from this study were promising and showed that almond milk consumption could potentially reduce the risk of death from breast cancer by 30%.
Almond’s role in Cancer Treatment
Almonds’ role in cancer treatment has been largely researched, and the benefits are astounding. The nut is rich in monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, which have been linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Almonds are also rich in arginine, an amino acid that has been found to boost the immune system and fight tumor growth. Arginine is believed to trigger the production of nitric oxide, which increases blood flow to the cells and helps them get the nutrients they need to fight cancer. A review paper on the benefits of almonds, says the following:A rat study showed that diets containing almond oil or meal reduced colon cancer risk (Davis & Iwahashi, 2001). Likewise, the antiproliferative effects of almond oil in primary (Colo-320) and metastatic (Colo-741) colon carcinoma cells were also observed in vitro (Mericli et al., 2017). Although several human studies showed protective effects of almond nuts consumption on colorectal and breast cancer (Balneaves et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2018; Soriano-Hernandez et al. et al., 2015), no clinical study was conducted to explore the antiproliferative proprieties of almond oil. Interestingly, massage with almond oil showed significant effects on the global quality of life of cancer patients. The benefits of almond oil aromatherapy for cancer patients are as follows: reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, aswell as improved sleep quality (Chang, 2008; Corner et al., 1995; Kyle, 2006; Moradi et al., 2020; Soden et al., 2004;Wilkinson et al., 1999). Ouzir M, Bernoussi SE, Tabyaoui M, Taghzouti K. Almond oil: A comprehensive review of chemical composition, extraction methods, preservation conditions, potential health benefits, and safety. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2021 Jul;20(4):3344-3387. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12752. Epub 2021 May 30. PMID: 34056853.Vitamin E, Selenium, Folic Acid, and Fiber, present in almonds are recognized as cancer protective and help in: Regulating cell differentiation and proliferation Inhibiting chemically induced carcinogenesis Reducing DNA damage
