Onion compound may protect colon from cancer: Study

Increased intakes of the compound quercetin, found in onions and apples, may reduce the risk of developing cancer of the colon by 50 per cent, says a new study.

However, dietary intakes of the compound were not associated with beneficial effects on rectal health, researchers report in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen, Ireland's National Cancer Registry Ireland and the University of Ottawa add that increased intakes of flavonols in general were associated with a 40 per cent reduction in the risk of dev eloping colorectal cancer.

Flavonoids can be split into a number of sub-classes, including anthocyanins found in berries, flavonols from a variety of fruit and vegetables, flavones from parsley and thyme, for example, flavanones from citrus, isoflavones from soy, mono- and poly-meric flavonols like the catechins in tea, and proanthocyanidins from berries, wine and chocolate.

A vast body of epidemiological studies has linked increased dietary intake of antioxidants from fruits, vegetables wine, chocolate, coffee, tea, and other foods to reduced risks of a range of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

In order to examine the benefits of a flavonoid-rich diet with respect to colorectal cancer risk, the researchers performed a case-control study involving 264 people with confirmed colorectal cancer and 408 healthy, cancer-free controls...................................
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