3. Spinach may help prevent colon cancer
A study has confirmed that spinach has anticancer properties and the researchers looked at how it achieved these beneficial effects by interacting with genetics and gut bacteria.1✅ JOURNAL REFERENCE
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1972756
Colon polyp growth is inhibited by spinach, with 5-10% of polyps developing into colorectal cancer.
Spinach’s ability to repress polyp development in rats having an induced type of cancer similar to sporadic colorectal cancer in humans had previously been confirmed by the researchers. Approximately 85-90% of cases of colorectal cancer are sporadic.
The researchers examined the value of spinach for individuals having a hereditary type of colorectal cancer known as familial adenomatous polyposis, which results in the growth of multiple, at times hundreds, of noncancerous colon polyps.
The majority of individuals having this condition will sooner or later need colon removal surgery, after which potentially toxic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will be used for keeping polyps from growing in the duodenum.
For 26 weeks, rats with familial adenomatous polyposis consumed freeze-dried spinach for the study. The study results suggest that the consumption of spinach could slow down the growth of polyps.
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