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Protect against colon cancer with chlorophyl
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Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Western counties. One of the important environmental determinants of the risk of colon cancer is the composition of the diet. Regular consumption of high amounts of red meat increases colon cancer risk. In contrast, consumption of green vegetables decreases the risk of colon cancer. Research at NIZO food research has shown that the dietary component chlorophyll (the green pigment in vegetables) protects against colon carcinogenesis in humans. Application of heme (the red pigment in meat) resulted in damage to the colonocytes and increased proliferation, which are considered as important risk markers for colon cancer. Mixing this diet with spinach or chlorophyll prevented the heme-induced damage to the colonocytes. |
